Host Dowagiac overcame a poor shooting night and illness to hold off upset-minded Sturgis 48-43 in Wolverine Conference boys basketball Thursday night.

The Trojans (1-2, 0-1 Wolverine) played without starter Matt Polzin, who was injured earlier in the day.

The Chieftains (4-0, 3-0 Wolverine) despite struggling to get shots to fall, led 13-4 after one quarter and 22-11 at halftime.

The Dowagiac lead was 33-18 heading into the fourth quarter.

But Sturgis was not about to let the Chieftains off the hook that easy.

A Keonte Blackamore basket at the start of the fourth quarter extended the Dowagiac lead to 37-20, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Liam Adams ignited the Trojans, who trimmed the lead to 37-35 with less than three minutes to play.

After Ryan Shuller’s free throw cut the deficit to a basket, Sturgis coach Keith Kurowski tried desperately to get a timeout called. The crowd noise apparently kept the officials from hearing his request and Dowagiac senior Harry Reed came down the floor and drilled a 3-pointer to stop the Sturgis comeback.

Dowagiac would make enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the Trojans.

Brandon Winchester-Jones, who like Reed was battling illness, led Dowagiac with 14 points, Reed finished with 13, while Keoante Blackamore added 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Adams led Sturgis with 14 points. Brandon Wetzel finished with 12.

Dowagiac is back in action Dec. 29 when it plays in the Kalamazoo Central Holiday Tournament against Jackson.

 

DOWAGIAC 48, STURGIS 43

At Dowagiac

STURGIS 43

Brandon Wetzel 12, Liam Adams 14, Tristin Stewart 2, Tyler Parker 2, Collin Sheehan 0, Brecken Stewart 4, Ryan Schuller 9. TOTALS: 16 7-10 43.

DOWAGIAC 48

Marcus Winchester-Jones 0, Harry Reed 13, DeYonte Sullivan 4, Brandon Winchester-Jones 14, Leroy Lewis 4, Adrien Bucha Moore 0, Keonte Blackamore 10, Jamin Hunt 3. TOTALS: 17 10-16 48.

 

Sturgis            4          11       18       43

Dowagiac        13       22       33       48

3-point baskets: Sturgis 4 (Adams 4), Dowagiac 4 (Reed 3, B. Winchester-Jones); total fouls (fouled out): Sturgis 20 (Wetzel), Dowagiac 16 (none). Varsity records: Sturgis 1-2, 0-1 Wolverine; Dowagiac 4-0, 3-0 Wolverine