Dowagiac’s Bryce Dodd drives and scores against Paw Paw in the Chieftains’ 69-68 loss Friday night. (Leader video/SCOTT NOVAK)

Veteran Dowagiac boys basketball coach Danum Hunt knows that his team is still a work in progress.

And while there were some positives in the Chieftains’ 69-68 Wolverine Conference West Division loss to Paw Paw, the negatives were too much to overcome Friday night.

“In the second half our intensity wasn’t where it needed to be,” Hunt said. “We didn’t come out and continue in attack mode anymore. We were very complacent and took a lot of jump shots. When we attacked the basket, we did really well. We either got layups or made baskets on the kick-out. In the second half we didn’t do that very well.”

Settling for jump shots is fine when you are hitting them, but when you shoot 26-of-67 from the field, more attention should have been paid to the inside game.

Dowagiac lead early as it went inside to junior Keoante Blackamore, who finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds. But with early foul trouble plaguing several players including leading scorer Brandon Winchester-Jones, the Chieftains struggled with consistency at both end of the floor.

After leading 18-10 after one quarter, Dowagiac found itself deadlocked with the Redskins at halftime 33-33.

Paw Paw (3-1, 2-0 West) dominated the third quarter as it opened up a 56-48 advantage heading into the final eight minutes of play.

The two teams went back and fourth in the final quarter, with Paw Paw missing several free throws that would have sealed the victory.

Still, Dowagiac could not overtake the Redskins in the closing seconds.

Leading 69-68 following a pair of free throws by Jordan Edwards with 15.2 seconds remaining, Dowagiac pushed the ball up the court and Leroy Lewis drove the baseline to the basket, but was blocked by Collin Siwula, who grabbed the rebound to end the Chieftains’ comeback threat.

Too many defensive breakdowns in the second half left Hunt wondering what could have been.

“Our rotations were bad on defense in the second half,” Hunt said. “We gave up some layups and then we made some crazy fouls that put them at the line. That helped us give them the game as well. Discipline was lacking again tonight.”

Tanner Eubank led Paw Paw and all scorers with 23 points. Nick Klingel added 15 and Siwula 12.

Harry Reed, who returned after missing Tuesday night’s game with the flu, had 15 points for the Chieftains. Bryce Dodd and Daquan Brooks both finished with 11.

 

PAW PAW 69, DOWAGIAC 68

Paw Paw 69

Nick Klingel 6 1-5 15, Tanner Eubank 7 7-12 23, Collin Siwula 5 0-0 12, Jordan Edwards 0 2-4 2, Parker Marcon 2 6-8 10, Jacob Vorce 2 1-2 5, Tyler Richardson 0 0-0 0, Ross Beck 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 23 17-31 69

Dowagiac 68

Keoante Blackamore 5 0-2 10, Leroy Lewis 3 2-4 8, Harry Reed 5 1-2 15, Bryce Dodd 4 1-1 11, Brandon Winchester-Jones 3 0-0 7, Daquan Brooks 4 3-4 11, Tevin Fowlkes 2 2-3 6, DeYonte Sullivan 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 26 9-16 68

 

Paw Paw        10       33       56       69

Dowagiac        18       33       48       68

3-point baskets: Paw Paw 6 (Klingel 2, Eubank 2, Siwula 2), Dowagiac 7 (Reed 4, Dodd 2, Winchester-Jones 1). Total fouls (fouled out): Paw Paw 18, Dowagiac 26 (Lewis, Winchester-Jones). Technical fouls: Dowagiac 2 (Dodd, Lewis). Varsity records: Paw Paw 3-1, 2-0 West; Dowagiac 3-1, 1-1 West