By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
THREE OAKS -- A crucial letdown in the third quarter cost the Brandywine varsity basketball team a win to finish the regular season Friday night.
The Bobcats led 28-21 with 3:26 left in he third quarter when River Valley went on a 13-0 run and maintained enough momentum to come away with a 51-39 Lakeland Conference win.
After scoring 32 points in the first quarter against New Buffalo on Tuesday, Brandywine managed just eight points in the opening period Friday night. The Bobcats played good enough on the defensive end, however, to hold the Mustangs to just seven first-quarter points.
Brandywine took a 20-17 lead by halftime and outscored the Mustangs 8-4 in the first six and a half minutes of the third quarter. The Bobcats appeared to be in control but a 3-pointer from Steve Terry started the decisive run for River Valley.
River Valley's Keith Zabel was the only player from either squad to reach double figures with 10 points.
Andy Low and Casey Udell paced the Bobcats with nine points apiece.
Brandywine finishes the season with an overall record of 7-13 and a league mark of 4-10. River Valley ends at 11-9 and 5-9. Brandywine faces Watervliet Tuesday night in the Class C District Tournament at Buchanan. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
A bright spot for Brandywine Friday night was a 66-44 victory for its junior varsity team. Led by Chris Casey's 22 points and D.J. Elrod's 15, the young Bobcats put together a two-game winning streak to end the season with an overall record of 3-17.