Brandywine let an early 11-2 lead get away from it Thursday night against visiting Cassopolis, but rallied to beat the Rangers 48-45 in Lakeland Conference boys’ basketball action.

The Bobcats (5-7, 1-6 Lakeland) trailed Cassopolis 26-20 at halftime after the Rangers used a 10-0 run to start the second quarter, which erased the early nine-point deficit and gave Cass a 12-11 advantage with 5:48 to play in the half on a pair of free throws by Delshawn Wicker.

The Rangers would go on to outscore Brandywine 17-5 that would give Cassopolis a 21-18 lead with 1:44 left in the second quarter. The Rangers would finish up with a 9-3 run to take the six-point lead into the locker room.

The two teams would struggle to find points in the third quarter as they combined for just 20 points. Brandywine got the better of it, holding a 13-7 scoring advantage to force a 33-33 tie heading into the final quarter.

The game would see-saw the rest of the way with ties at 37 and 42.

Jacob Frazier’s bucket with 2:24 to play gave the Bobcats the lead for good at 44-42.

A free throw by Dustin Sater made it a three-point game (45-42), but that lead was short-lived as Wicker scored to cut the lead to 45-44 with 43 ticks left on the clock.

Austin Earles pushed the lead back up to three points (47-44) 11 seconds later and when Mykal Toxopeus rebounded Nate Hartline’s missed free throw with 6.8 seconds left and was fouled, the deal was sealed.

Toxopeus made one of two free throws to provide the final result.

“That was a big one,” Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp said about the Bobcats’ first conference victory. “The coaching staff, the kids, we were all on the same page tonight. It’s been a week of the JV and varsity practicing together and we have been working hard. Hard work pays off.”

Frazier led the Bobcats and all scorers with 19 points. Brandywine also got 10 points from Michael Shelton and nine points from Searles.

The Rangers (7-7, 1-6) were led by Tyler Gilliam’s 13 points. Hartline finished with 11 and Wicker nine.

CASSOPOLIS 45

Dwayne Morgan 2 0-0 4; Nate Hartline 5 1-2 11; Delshawn Wicker 3 3-3 9; Tyler Gilliam 5 0-0 13; Austin Los 0 1-4 1; Oliver Fiala 3 1-1 7; Brandin Davis 0 0-0 0; Quinten O’Brie 0 0-0 0; Brian Craft 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18 6-10 45

BRANDYWINE 48

Austin Searles 4 0-0 9; Jason Andrews 1 0-0 3; Dustin Sater 1 2-4 5; Mykal Toxopeus 0 1-2 1; Michael Shelton 1 8-9 10; Brad Millin 1 0-0 2; Alex Erwin 0 0-0 0; Jacob Frazier 8 3-9 19. TOTALS: 16 13-24 48

Cassopolis 2 26 33 45

Brandywine 11 20 33 48

3-point baskets: Cassopolis 3 (Gilliam 3), Brandywine 2 (Searles, Andrews). Total fouls: Cassopolis 19, Brandywine 15. Fouled out: Morgan (C). Varsity records: Cassopolis 7-7, 1-6; Brandywine 5-7, 1-6