By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

Through the first three quarters of play Saturday night, the host Niles girls’ basketball team was in charge of its non-conference game against Dowagiac.

But in the fourth quarter, when both teams emptied their benches, something unusual happened.

The Chieftains (2-6) were able to score 21 points and forced the Vikings to put their starters back into the game.

With both starting units back on the floor, Niles was able to hold off Dowagiac 48-39.

“It’s a funny thing,” Niles coach Patrick Touhey related following the game. “Their coach came down and said he was going to empty his bench. I told him I would do the same. I guess they had a few more starters on the floor than we did.”

Up until the final quarter, the Vikings (7-3) were able to control the game.

Niles led 12-8 after one quarter and 24-13 at the intermission.

But despite the 11-point advantage, the Vikings were struggling shooting the basketball and Dowagiac still felt like it was in the game.

But after being outscored 9-5 in the third quarter, the Chieftains found themselves down 33-18.

Then the rally started.

Dowagiac chipped away at the Niles advantage. The Vikings were able to get to the free throw line, but shooting 15-of-27 from the stripe for the game didn’t allow them to seal the deal.

The Chieftains closed the gap slowly but surely and got it down to nine points in the closing moments.

But Dowagiac was unable to get any closer despite the shooting woes of the Vikings.

Jenna Grannell was able to overpower the Chieftains inside and finished with a game-high 13 points and eight rebounds.

Niles also got 12 points and eighth rebounds from Nichole Sly and nine points and eight rebounds off the bench from Gabby Ezell.

The Vikings also limited Dowagiac’s leading scorer Torie Lowe to 10 points.

Kaisha Martin added eight and both Correshia Rodgers and Marcie Ennesser finished with seven.

DOWAGIAC 39
Cierra Mattix 1 0-0 3; Correshia Rodgers 2 3-7 7; Marcie Ennesser 2 3-3 7; Torie Lowe 3 2-2 10; Kaisha Martin 3 2-4 8; Andrea Bradshaw 0 0-0 0; Krista Green 0 0-0 0; Britnee Allerton 2 0-0 4; Breneeshia Jones 2 0-0 4; Cassie Stones 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 13 10-20 39
NILES 48
Savanna Wolnik 1 0-2 2; Alex McIntee 0 0-0 0; Brittany Buti 0 0-0 0; Gabby Ezell 3 3-6 9; Maureen Craig 1 3-5 6; Nichole Sly 4 4-6 12; Whitney Ellis 0 0-0 0; Taylor Glick 2 0-0 6; Jenna Grannell 4 5-8 13. TOTALS: 15 15-27 48

Dowagiac 8 13 18 39
Niles 12 24 33 48
3-point goals: Dowagiac 3 (Lowe 2, Mattix), Niles 3 (Craig, Glick 2). Total fouls: Niles 19, Dowagiac 22. Fouled out: Sly (N). Varsity records: Dowagiac 2-6, Niles 7-3