Dante Razzano blew kisses to the Edwardsburg fans after his team’s game Tuesday against Niles.

Razzano had the right to celebrate as he scored in the paint off an acrobatic move with three left to lift the Eddies to a dramatic, 68-67, win over the Vikings.

Gabe Stokes misfired on a full-court length shot for Niles as time expired.

Before Razzano’s heroics, the Vikings had taken a 67-66 lead after Gavin Rasler scored in the paint off an inbounds pass with 10 seconds remaining.

Edwardsburg coach Steve Wright decided not to call a time-out after Rasler’s basket and the move paid off.

“We had the ball in Razzano’s hands and he was heading up the floor and with him he’s either going to create something for someone else or create something for himself,” said Edwardsburg boys basketball coach Steve Wright. “He made a heck of a play to hit that shot in that moment. It was a big-time play.”

The Vikings fought back from a 54-47 deficit with 6:55 left in the game.

“We wanted to press and get back to a 2-3 zone,” said Niles coach Todd Pawielski about his team strategy after taking the 67-66 lead. “We never stopped the ball on the last possession.”

Rasler scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Vikings, who fell to 5-12. Gabe Stokes added 20 points. His 3-pointer pulled Niles within 66-65 with :55 left and his 3-pointer as time expired in the second quarter pulled the Vikings even with the Eddies at 34. Niles erased a 34-23 deficit with 5:01 left in the second.

“Gabe Stokes had a monster game,” Pawielski said. “Gavin Rasler had the best game of his varsity career.

“We’re not a strong team defensively and Edwardsburg exploited that.

“But, to our kids credit, they battled and came back and gave ourselves every opportunity to win.”

Isaac Vite scored a career-high 27 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead Edwardsburg, which improved to 13-4.

“(Vite) had a great night shooting,” Wright said. “Offensively tonight he was dynamite and we needed every one of them.”

Jackson Gaideski added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Eddies, who outrebounded the Vikings, 32-20.

“(Edwardsburg) killed us on the offensive boards,” Pawielski said.

 

EDWARDSBURG 68, NILES 67

Edwardsburg 68

Dante Razzano 9, Jackson Gaideski 16, Isaac Vite 27, Dalton Raymond 6, Derek Pierce 4, Joe Queener 4, Jon Albrecht 0, Adam Kozinski 2. TOTALS: 23 14-24 68

Niles 67

Ray Glenn 6, Gabe Stokes 20, Gavin Rasler 25, Tyler Phillips 4, Adam Langmeyer 3, Dontae Murphy 4, Derek Brown 5, Sammy Rodts 0. TOTALS: 28 5-7 67

 

Edwardsburg                        28       34       50       68

Niles                                       18       34       47       67

3-point baskets: Edwardsburg 8 (Vite 7, Razzano), Niles 6 (Stokes 3, Langmeyer, Murphy, Brown). Total fouls (fouled out): Edwardsburg 11 (none), Niles 18 (none). Shooting: Edwardsburg 23-of-55 for 42-percent, Niles 28-of-54 for 52-percent. Rebounding: Edwardsburg 32 (Gaideski 11), Niles 20 (Rasler 8). Turnovers: Edwardsburg 13, Niles 8. Varsithy records: Edwardsburg 13-4, Niles 5-12