COLDWATER — Coldwater defended its home floor Friday night at the Palace, knocking off red-hot Versailles 57-50 in a Mid-American Conference matchup.

Versailles entered the night riding a seven-game winning streak and sporting a 9-1 record, but Coldwater leaned on balanced scoring and timely shooting to secure the win and improve to 5-5.

The Cavaliers struck first in the opening quarter as Jack Bruns finished at the rim with a finger roll to give Coldwater an early edge. Versailles answered quickly, with Drake Ahrens attacking an opening in the defense to even things up.

Coldwater found its rhythm from the perimeter as Landon Knapke connected from beyond the arc, part of a team-high 16-point night for the senior. The Tigers continued to battle, led by Ahrens, who consistently scored inside and finished with a game-high 21 points.

Despite the back-and-forth nature of the contest, Coldwater maintained its composure. Caleb Schroer provided another boost from deep, knocking down a key 3-pointer as the Cavaliers kept control down the stretch.

Coldwater’s defensive effort and shot-making proved enough in the final minutes, sealing the 57-50 victory and handing Versailles its first loss in eight games.

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