BENTON HARBOR – The Dowagiac boys basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season to hand Bridgman at 73-64 setback in the consolation game of the Earl McKee Holiday Tournament Friday night.

Dowagiac (6-1) was able to hold off a late Bees’ surge after building up a 59-45 lead in the fourth quarter.

Bridgman used a junk defense to try and stop All-Stater Dontel Highsmith. It worked for just one half – sort of.

While Highsmith, who was named to the All-Tournament team, was held to just four points, D.J. Hunt was carrying the Chieftains on his back offensively in the opening 16 minutes. Hunt was 10-of-17 from the field and finished with a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers.

Hunt did not score in the second half.

He didn’t need to as Highsmith picked up the slack with 16 of his 20 points.

The Bees’ Tyler Gnodtke kept Bridgman in the game and spurred the fourth quarter rally as he connected on seven 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 23 points.

Benton Harbor captured its own tournament championship with a 65-48 win over previously undefeated Muskegon Heights Academy.

Dowagiac lost to Benton Harbor 59-56 in the championship game of the JV tournament.

 

DOWAGIAC 73

Dontel Highsmith 20, Tyler Clark 8, Brendan Murray 0, DJ Hunt 25, Davion Highsmith 9, Kyle Solloway 7, Joey Pasternak 2, Bryce Dodd  2. Totals: 29 10-17 73

BRIDGMAN 64

Eric Neiman 15, Tyler Gnodtke 23, Cooper Mojsiejenko 18, Matt Hendricks 2, Dan Koziel 2, Nick Knowlton 4. Totals: 24 7-12 64

 

Dowagiac 21 38 53 73

Bridgman 16 24 38 64

3-point goals : Dowagiac 5 (Hunt 5), Bridgman 9 (Gnodtke 7, Mojsiejenko 1, Knowlton 1). Total fouls (fouled out): Dowagiac 12 (none), Bridgman 15 (Mojsiejenko). Varsity records: Dowagiac 6-1, Bridgman 2-5