From staff reports

Visiting South Bend Clay was able to overcome a 13-point deficit to start Saturday night’s non-conference boys’ basketball game with Niles to score a 57-55 victory.

The Vikings rolled out to a 13-0 lead, but a bad shooting night and turnovers led to the loss.

Jurod Wooden knocked down the game-winner with 1.7 seconds left to help the Colonials snap a six-game losing streak.

The Vikings (8-4) had their five-game winning streak stopped with the loss.

Niles shot less than 40 percent in the contest and turned the ball over 19 times.

However, the Vikings led at every quarter break except the final one.

Despite the 13-0 run to start the game, Niles led just 15-10 at the end of the first quarter after outscoring the Vikings 10-2 to close the period.

The Colonials (3-12) continued to whittle away at the Vikings’ lead and after outscoring Niles 18-14 in the second quarter, trailed by just a point at the intermission, 29-28.

Niles reclaimed some momentum in the third quarter and opened up a four-point advantage heading to the final stanza.

Trailing 46-42 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Clay kept the game close and finally hit the game winner in the closing seconds.

Niles had a pair of chances to win the game in the final 1.7 seconds.

Clay picked off the inbounds pass, but was whistled for traveling as time expired.

The officials reset the clock to one second, but David Garner’s desperation heave bounced off the rim as the horn sounded.

Garner led the Vikings with 20 points, while Myles Busby added 14 points. Mitch Peterek chipped in with six.

Taron Miller led the Colonials with 19 points. Adrian Easton finished with 10.

The Vikings will try to get back on track on Tuesday night when it travels to Coldwater for a Big 16 Conference non-divisional contest.

CLAY 55

Alex Bauters 0 0-0 0, Daris Boles 2 0-0 4, Donovan Campbell 3 2-2 8, Adrian Easton 2 5-5 10, P.J. Ellis 2 1-3 5, Taron Miller 8 1-2 19, Kameron Stevens 1 2-2 5, Jeremy Vargo 1 0-0 2, Jurod Wooden 2 0-0 4. TOTALS: 21 11-14 57
NILES 55

David Garner 6 7-8 20, Myles Busby 4 6-8 14, Matthew McLaughlin 1 1-2 3, Austin Parks 2 0-0 5, Jordan Potthoff 0 0-0 0, Mitch Peterek 2 2-2 6, Quinton Irby 1 1-2 3, Riley Robson 0 0-0 0, Nick Lucero 1 2-2 4, Taylor Campbell 0 0-2 0. TOTALS: 17 19-26 55

Clay	10	28	42	57
Niles	15	29	46	55

3-point baskets: Clay 4 (Miller 2, Stevens 1, Easton 1), Niles 2 (Garner 1, Parks 1). Total fouls: Clay 21 (Campbell, Ellis), Niles 14. Fouled out: Campbell (C), Ellis (C). Technical foul: Clay bench. Varsity records: Clay 3-12, Niles 8-4. JV score: Clay 67 (Tony Shead 20), Niles 33 (Logan Harpenau 12, Trey Nichols 12)