Benton Harbor hoops tops Dowagiac in Regional Championship

COLOMA, Mich. - Three teams in Southwest Michigan entered Wednesday's Regional Championships still in the hunt for a state title: undefeated Cassopolis in Class C and then a showdown between Dowagiac and Benton Harbor in Class B.

Despite trailing the Chieftains at halftime, Benton Harbor once again used a big second half run to earn another victory. The Tigers won 67-57 to capture the Regional title and take another step towards the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

"It feels great. As a team we hang together more so we can bond so that it's not just on the court. It's also off the court, so we can't let anything interrupt what we've got going on. These are my brothers. We've been doing this for years. It feels phenomenal to have our team celebrating, and getting closer to the Breslin to achieve our biggest goal."

Of course, that ultimate vision shows the Tigers standing atop Class B as state champions at the end of next week. The win over Dowagiac sends them into the quarterfinals, where they'll meet Williamston on Tuesday, March 20.

If Benton Harbor can overcome that test, the Breslin Center awaits for the semifinals and finals on Friday and Saturday.

In Class C, the dream season came to an end for Cassopolis, who entered the Regional championship undefeated but fell 61-48 to Kalamazoo Christian.