By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Casey Udell, Andy Low, Justin Sobecki, Danny Rauch and Mike Beauchamp made sure everybody knew whose night it was Tuesday.
That group of seniors combined for 56 points as the Brandywine varsity basketball team cruised to a 75-49 win over New Buffalo in non-conference play.
The five seniors were honored before the game and then all five started the contest together for the first time in their careers.
What happened next will be remembered by that group for some time.
The Bobcats exploded for 32 points in the first quarter, led by Udell's 18 points which included five 3-pointers. Brandywine led by 18 at the end of the first period and never led by less than 16 points the rest of the game.
Udell finished with 20 points. Rauch scored 11 points to go along with eight rebounds. Beauchamp scored 10 points while Low scored nine and Sobecki added six.
The Bobcats eclipsed their season scoring average of 53.6 points and gave up far fewer than their season average of 63.3.
Struggling to mount a comeback, the Bison turned the ball over seven times in the third quarter and were outscored 11-7 which gave Brandywine a 59-37 lead heading into the final period.
Two normal starters who will miss the rest of the season are leading scorer Sean Baker, a senior who averaged 18 points per game, and Cody Harrington, a senior center who, at 6-2, was New Buffalo's tallest player.
Baker recently suffered a broken hand and Harrington is nursing a lacerated kidney.
Bryan Rogel led the Bison with 15 points and Brian Adamec added 13.
The Brandywine junior varsity team won a 58-57 nailbiter over New Buffalo. Chris Casey led the Bobcats with 19 points and Kevin Curran added 10. Zeke Stevens led all scorers in the junior varsity game with 32 for the Bison.
Brandywine travels to River Valley Friday night for a Lakeland Conference game to wrap up the regular season.