Spectators came to see Benton Harbor senior girls basketball player Kysre Gondrezick in the Tigers Class B district semifinal game Wednesday against Dowagiac.

The University of Michigan recruit didn’t disappoint as she totaled 39 points, including eight 3-pointers, grabbed six rebounds and had four steals to lead Benton Harbor past the Chieftains, 75-26.

Gondrezick, who came in averaging 41 points a game, was coming off a game Monday against Buchanan where she scored a state tournament record 72 points.

“There’s nothing you can do defensively against (Gondrezick),” Dowagiac girls basketball coach Floyd Foston said. “We ran a double team on her most of the night. She’s just a great player. We knew she was going to get her points.

We were just trying to get the other girls to beat us. She distributed the ball, like great players do. Her teammates made some good shots.”

Unlike Monday in Benton Harbor’s 80-78 double overtime win over Buchanan, Gondrezick got some offensive help against Dowagiac. Jawana Young scored 20 points to help support Gondrezick. Seven different Tigers scored.

“We can’t just be dependent on Kysre to score all the points,” Benton Harbor girls basketball coach Lisa Harvey-Gondrezick said. “Other girls have the capacity to score too. They just have to take the initiative. I thought we did a much better job tonight of getting other ladies involved (offensively).”

Benton Harbor took control of the game in the second quarter. A 17-2 run gave the Tigers a commanding 38-14 lead with 3:01 left in the second. Gondrezick’s 3-pointer capped that run.

“I think for the first 12 minutes we were right there,” Foston said. “The game could have been even closer if we had made some shots around the basket. We missed some layups.”

Dowagiac shot only 28-percent (10-of-36) from the field. The Chieftains also turned the ball over 23 times.

Gondrezick’s 3-pointer gave Benton Harbor a 59-19 lead with 2:06 left in the third quarter and that started a mercy-rule running clock, which continued the remainder of the game.

Freshman Amiyah Smith scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Dowagiac. Taylor Hulett added 10 points.

“I think she’s going to be a really good player if she keeps working in the offseason,” Foston said about Smith.

 

BENTON HARBOR 75, DOWAGIAC 26

At Dowagiac

BENTON HARBOR 75

Kysre Gondrezick 39, Kaleia Easterling 4, Tamara Cloy 0, Briana Rimpson 5, Jawana Young 20, Na’chell Dudley 4, Jurnee Agbowu 0, Aaliyah Payne 0, Janeeah Tinney 0, Ashley Mitchell 2, Stacey Pullin 1. TOTALS: 29 9-16 75.

DOWAGIAC 26

Tania Wilson 3, Taylor Hulett 10, Amiyah Smith 13, Alyssa Allen 0, Mara Nelson 0, Nijah Russell 0, Taylor Pye 0, Micaela Ruff 0, Brittany Strauss 0. TOTALS: 10 5-11 26.
Benton Harbor          19       45       62       75
Dowagiac                    7          16       20       26

3-point goals: Benton Harbor 8 (Gondrezick), Dowagiac 1 (Wilson). Total fouls (fouled out): Benton Harbor 11 (none), Dowagiac 11 (none). Shooting: Benton Harbor 29-of-57 for 51-percent, Dowagiac 10-of-36 for 28-percent. Rebounding: Benton Harbor 31 (Agbowu 8), Dowagiac 17 (Smith 8). Turnovers: Benton Harbor 10, Dowagiac 23. Varsity records: Benton Harbor 10-10, Dowagiac 1-20.