By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN - In what may have been the best game of the season for the Buchanan varsity basketball team, the Lady Bucks handed the Brandywine Bobcats their fifth loss of the season to go with their five wins. Buchanan improved its record to 5-6 with a 66-49 win on their home court.
A quick start, which the Lady Bucks haven't seen much of, jumped out to a 24-4 first quarter advantage and never looked back as Buchanan was hitting on all cylinders.
Hitting their shots on the offensive end and when a shot didn't fall Hayley Cashier and Danielle Bachleda were there to clean up the boards on the smaller Bobcat team.
At the defensive end, Buchanan guards Emily Ross, Hillary Faulkner and Leteshia Shannon, gave the Bobcats all they could handle in getting the ball up the court. Each had three steals in the game and the Bucks had 16 steals for the night.
The Lady Bucks pressure caused several other Bobcat turnovers when it looked as if the Cats were going to make a run at the Buck lead. For the night the Bobcats finished with 30 miscues.
Brandywine finally found there offense in the second quarter but was still unable to slow down the Lady Bucks. Brandywine did outscore Buchanan 17-16 in the second quarter, but still trailed 40-21 at the half.
Cashier finished the night canning 26 points with Bachleda adding 15 to pace the Bucks. Cashier pulled down 11 rebounds to add to her 26 point output.
Brandywine was led by Kalie Newman 14 points. Neither team was hot from the charity stripe as the Bobcats could only hit 12-of -24 from the line. The Bucks could only manage 10-of-21 from the free throw line.
Buchanan extended their lead in the third quarter to 23 heading into the final eight minutes leading 58-35.
Brandywine will be idle until next Tuesday when they will host Berrien Springs and the Lady Bucks will host River Valley this Thursday in another Lakeland Conference showdown.
The Brandywine junior varsity team did pick up a road win with a 34-16 victory. Leah Hunt finished with seven points for Buchanan and Michelle Smith tallied six for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats return to action on Tuesday when they host Berrien Springs.
The Bucks will host River Valley on Thursday. Game time is set for 7 p.m., with JV beginning at 5:30 p.m.