By By JEFF FISHER / Vigilant/Argus
CASSOPOLIS - Defense was the name of the game as the Cassopolis Rangers defeated River Valley 48-27 Friday night in a Lakeland Conference matchup.
The Rangers opened the first quarter by hitting the offensive glass which gave them a 9-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Despite its early success, Cassopolis found itself in early foul trouble as leading scorer Kevin Luckey committed two quick fouls to go along with seven total by the team.
The Rangers stepped up the defense by alternating man-to-man and zone defenses in the second quarter that created turnovers and allowed them to go on a 6-2 run to open up a 15-6 lead at the 4:42 mark in the second. Cass took a 19-11 lead into the locker room.
The Rangers began the third quarter by scoring the first four points and began to pull away. They built a 26-16 lead halfway through the period. Cass outscored the Mustangs 18-8, and led 37-19 after three quarters.
The quarter also featured a four-point play by Cass' Ashton Danzy.
Cass ran out to a 20-point lead at the 6:35 mark of the final quarter and never looked back in capturing the victory.
Luckey of Cass led all scorers with 15 points, Ashton Danzy with nine, and Neal Bullocks with eight points.
River Valley was led in scoring by Taylor Blake with nine points and Danny Baker with eight.
The Rangers improve to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the league.
The Ranger junior varsity team posted a 73-34 victory against River Valley in earlier action.
RIVER VALLEY 27
Jeremy Schaeffer 1 0-2 2, Caleb Dryden 0 3-4 3, Danny Baker 3 2-5 8, Jeremy Bates 1 0-0 2, Chad Kuntz 0 2-4 2, Kevin Zabel 0 0-0 0, Taylor Blake 3 0-0 9, Matt Grandholm 0 1-2 1, Brandon Vance 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 8-17 27
CASSOPOLIS 48
Will Loux 1 0-0 2, Neal Bullocks 2 4-6 8, Dan Stanage 0 0-0 0, Kevin Luckey 5 3-4 15, Ashton Danzy 3 2-3 9, Derron Thomas 0 2-2 2, Cordero Williams 2 0-0 4, Rodney Lewis 1 0-0 2, John Young 2 0-0 4, Renard MacNeal 0 0-1 0, Mike Evans 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 11-16 48
River Valley 4 11 19 27
Cassopolis 9 19 37 48
Three-point baskets: Blake RV) 3, Luckey (C) 2, Danzy (C). Total fouls: River Valley 16, Cassopolis 16.