COLOMA — Making shots was a problem throughout for the Dowagiac girls basketball team Monday in its Class B opening round district game against Parchment.

The Panthers improved on offense in the second half and that helped them pull away and post a 54-25 win.

The Chieftains shot only 19 percent (9-of-47) from the field and missed six of their 11 free throws.

“Our execution was OK,” said Dowagiac coach Emily McLoughlin about her team’s offensive woes. “We ran our sets well. We just couldn’t get shots to drop.”

Despite its shooting woes, the Chieftains went into halftime trailing only 24-16. Dowagiac, which shot only 20 percent (6-of-30) from the field in the first half, scored the final five points of the half and had the momentum.

But Parchment wouldn’t let Dowagiac continue its scoring run to start the second half. The Panthers broke out of their first half shooting slump (9-of-28) and outscored the Chieftains, 18-5 in the third quarter, to take control of the game. Parchment shot 61 percent (8-of-13) from the field in the third quarter.

“(Parchment) was able to penetrate better in the second half,” McLoughlin said. “We didn’t pinch the middle and we didn’t step up and stop No. 20 (Kendyl Hinton). She penetrated and dished off and penetrated and shot the ball herself. She just did a good job for them.”

Hinton scored 12 of her 18 points in the second half. She came into the game averaging 11 points and nine assists a game.

“We asked her to drive to the basket and look to dish and draw the defense,” said Parchment coach Wayne Hinton. “She’s averaging 9.5 assists a game and that’s where her contribution usually comes. But tonight she had to get some points.”

Angela Patton added 14 points-nine in the second half for Parchment, which improved to 18-3 on the season. Lizzie Tecca contributed 10 points. Patton and Tecca each made a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Wayne Hinton didn’t think his team played consistently well in the first half.

“We got away from what we were doing at the beginning of the first half during the second quarter,” Wayne Hinton said. “We were pressing and playing a little bit better shell defense and driving to the basket (in the third quarter). When we did that we were able to expand the lead.”

Dowagiac, which ended up with a 2-18 record, was led by Correshia Rodgers, who scored 13 points-eight in the first half.

The Chieftains missed their first eight shots of the game and didn’t get on the scoreboard until Kelsie Primley hit a 3-pointer with 4:05 left in the first quarter. That basket pulled Dowagiac within 7-3. The Chieftains trailed 14-5 after one quarter.

A much deeper Parchment used 11 players in the first half, while Dowagiac had only eight girls on its varsity roster.

“I think we wore down a little bit at the end of the third quarter,” McLoughlin said.

DOWAGIAC 25

Kelsie Primley 1 0-0 3, Kylee Williams 1 0-0 2, Carly Polomcak 2 0-0 4, Kristyn Turner 0 0-0 0, Correshia Rodgers 4 4-9 13, Jessica Herthoge 1 0-0 2, Rachel Bailey 0 0-0 0, Regina Kennedy 0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 9 5-11 25

PARCHMENT 54

Lizzie Tecca 4 0-0 10, Angela Patton 5 3-6 14, Meredith Stutz 1 0-0 2, Kendyl Hinton 8 2-3 18, Molly Madaras 1 2-2 4, Bri Gayna 0 0-0 0, Kendra Gernaat 0 0-0 0, Melena Strehlow 0 0-0 0, Rebecca Renema 3 0-0 6, Megan Bickings 0 0-0 0, Allison Searles 0 0-0 0, Paige Berg 0 0-2 0, Madison Spry 0 0-0 0, Jessie Jones 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22 7-13 54

Dowagiac 5 16 21 25

Parchment 14 24 42 54

3-point baskets: Dowagiac 2 (Primley, Rodgers), Parchment 3 (Tecca 2, Patton). Total fouls (fouled out): Dowagiac 13 (none), Parchment 14 (none). Shooting: Dowagiac 9-of-47 for 19 percent, Parchment 22-of-52 for 42 percent. Rebounding: Dowagiac 25 (Primley 7), Parchment 34 (Patton 10). Turnovers: Dowagiac 17, Parchment 9. Varsity records: Dowagiac 2-18, Parchment 18-3