COLOMA — The outcome of Tuesday night’s non-conference boys’ basketball game between visiting Dowagiac and Coloma was decided after just one quarter.

The Chieftains (3-0) jumped out to a 19-7 lead on the Comets (1-4) and never looked back in posting a 70-39 victory.

The only thing left to be decided was how many points the area’s leading scorer would net.

Junior point guard Dontel Highsmith entered Tuesday night’s contest averaging 49 points per game and was coming off a school-record 56-point effort against Plainwell.

He finished the night with a game-high 30 points and got plenty of help in keeping the Chieftains’ perfect on the season.

For the second straight game, center Eric Charles stayed away from early foul trouble and finished with 12 points. Brendan Murray and Tyler Clark both chipped in with nine points.

Highsmith and Charles had 17 and 12 rebounds respectively.

“It wasn’t one of our best games,” Dowagiac coach Danum Hunt said. “We didn’t shoot well. We didn’t execute well. We seemed to be a little flat.

“We got a pretty decent effort defensively. We did a good job on the boards. But we have got to have a better effort if we are going to continue to win, especially going into the tournament (Benton Harbor Holiday Tournament) next week.”

Dowagiac led 36-12 at halftime and took a 49-22 advantage to the final quarter where it scored a game-high 21 points in the period.

Coloma was led by Tyler Fischer’s 13 points and was the lone Comet to reach double figures.

DOWAGIAC 70

Dontel Highsmith 30; Craig Zebell 4; James Holder 5; Joey Pasternak 1; Brendan Murray 9; Tyler Clark 9; Matt Smith 0; Eric Charles 12. TOTALS: 24 23-38 70

COLOMA 39

Nate Caldwell 3; Earl Taylor 6; Andrew Steinhoff 6; Devin Williams 2; Tracy Lamar Jr. 1; Tyler Fischer 13; Marcus Hughes 8. TOTALS: 15 9-17 39

Dowagiac 19 36 49 70

Coloma 7 12 22 39

3-point baskets: Dowagiac 1 (Murray), Coloma 0. Total fouls (fouled out): Dowagiac 17 (none), Coloma 25 (Caldwell, Steinhoff). Technical fouls: Lamar Jr. (C), Highsmith (D). Varsity records: Dowagiac 3-0, Coloma 1-4