A poor shooting night nearly cost Niles a victory against visiting Cassopolis Tuesday night, but the Vikings managed to close the game on an 11-3 run escaping the Rangers second half charge with a 46-39 win.

The Vikings connected on only 23 percent of their shot attempts.

Niles (2-7) got off to a quick start jumping ahead 9-0 before the Rangers finally got on the scoreboard.

Cassopolis would chip away at that lead pulling within six, 15-9 at the end of the opening quarter.

The second quarter was not friendly to either team on the offensive end of the floor as the Vikings outscored the Rangers 5-4, taking a 20-13 lead to the intermission.

Niles and Cassopolis did a better job of scoring in the third quarter as both teams scored 13 points, leaving the Vikings clinging to a 33-26 lead entering the final quarter.

Cassopolis scored 10 of the first 12 points in final stanza and a free throw by Kyana Buck with just under two minutes left gave the Rangers their first lead of the game, 36-35.

A 3-point basket by Emily Gaines put Niles back on top 38-36 and layups by Alycia Patterson and Jaycee Myer extended the Niles to six points.

The Vikings hit 4-of-6 free throw attempts to seal the win.

The key for Niles was senior Emma Applegate, who led the Vikings with 15 points on five long-range bombs. Applegate and Gaines combined for six 3-pointers, while Cassopolis did not connect from behind the arc.

Cassopolis’ Santaja Gibson led all scorers with 25 points.

 

NILES 46, CASSOPOLIS 39

At Niles

NILES 46

Taylor Gibson 0; Deshanay Alexander 4; Alycia Patterson 6; Claudine Tudor 0; Emily Gaines 9; Aynslee Myer 0; Jaycee Myer 3 1-2 7; Caitlin Daly 2; Leslie Shorter; Emma Applegate 15; Lujan Mitchell 3. TOTALS: 17 6-11 46.

CASSOPOLIS 39

Angel Gary 1; Santaja Gibson 25; Kiersten Hartsell 1; Eryn Forrest 0; Kyana Buck 1 3; Kyrah Taylor 0; Madison Brooks 4; Sophia Fiala 5; Aryanna Doyle 0. TOTALS: 14 11-23 39.

 

Cassopolis     9          13        26        39

Niles               15        20        33        46

3-point baskets: Cassopolis 0, Niles 6 (Applegate 5, Gaines). Total fouls (fouled out): Cassopolis 14 (Gary), Niles 23 (none). Varsity records: Cassopolis 5-5, Niles 2-7.