After playing two games in which it shot the ball outstanding and played at a high energy level, Tuesday night’s Niles game against South Bend Clay was a stark contrast.

The Vikings shoot the ball poorly from the field and the free throw line, was outrebounded and turned the ball over way too much.

But despite all that, Niles was able to hold off Clay 56-51 in boys’ basketball action to remain undefeated.

The energy that the Vikings displayed in their first two games was definitely missing in the opening half against the Colonials.

Niles missed its first five shots and were just 7-of-23 in the opening eight minutes. But despite the shooting woes, the Vikings still put 19 points on the board and led by four (19-15) heading to the second quarter.

Fortunately for Niles, Clay wasn’t much better from the field. The Colonials were just 6-of-16.

Quintin Irby got the Vikings off to a quick start with a pair of free throws and a basket to give Niles a 4-2 lead in the first minute and a half.

The two teams traded the lead back and forth six times in the opening eight minutes.

Jeermal Franklin’s 3-pointer with five minutes to play in the first quarter gave the Colonials their first lead. Matthew McLaughlin gave the Vikings the lead back with a 3-pointer half a minute later and then the teams just kept switching the advantage.

Niles took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Alex Brown with 1:13 to play in the period. A 3-pointer by Austin Parks kept the Vikings out in front and a steal and score by Irby with 27 ticks left, made it a four-point contest heading to the second quarter.

Niles didn’t improve its shooting much in the second period, going just 4-of-13. Clay was 5-of-17 as neither team seemed to be able to find the range in the opening 16 minutes.

Brown scored the first five points of the quarter as Niles opened up a 26-15 advantage.

Clay came back, chipping away at the lead with a basket here and a free throw there.

Taron Miller’s bucket with 59.3 seconds left in the half cut the Vikings’ lead to 30-26, which is where the score stood as the two teams headed to the locker room at halftime.

Niles’ lead didn’t last long at the start of the second half.

Clay (3-1) cut the lead to 30-28 just over a minute into the third quarter on a basket by Taron Miller and then took the lead on a 3-pointer by Jurod Wooden with 6:19 showing on the clock.

Niles (3-0) would respond as Myles Busby connected on a 3-pointer with 3:50 to play in the period to give the Vikings back the lead at 33-31. Niles’ advantage would reach 42-31 on a 3-pointer by Parks, his second of the quarter, to cap a 9-1 run.

The Colonials would get the lead back under double digits, 44-35, as the two teams headed to the fourth quarter.

Again Clay would whittle away at the Niles advantage. The Colonial’s cut the lead to 51-45 with 2:39 remaining before Parks scored to make it 53-48 with just over a minute left in the contest.

Following a 3-pointer by Kenny Jones with 56 ticks left on the clock, the Vikings’ lead to down to 53-51.

McLaughlin hit one of two free throws with 39 seconds remaining to make it a three-point lead for Niles and Parks sealed the deal with two free throws with 18 seconds left after Clay was called for a traveling near midcourt.

“I thought we had some heavy legs there toward the end of the second quarter kind of until the end of the game,” Niles coach Todd Pawielski said. “But I really thought the kids battle through their fatigue.

“We had some uncharacteristic turnovers tonight that I think Clay’s pressure and our fatigue had something to do with that. But at the end we really valued the basketball and made some great decisions.”

Parks finished with a game-high 21 points to go along with three steals and three rebounds. Niles also got 11 points, six rebounds and three steals from Irby. McLaughlin and Alec Brown both scored eight points. McLaughlin also had five rebounds.

“Austin Parks really hit some shots for us all night long,” Pawielski said. “Austin really was a physical presence for us inside tonight. He played tough defense, got us some extra possessions and he got us some steals.”

Busby, who led the Vikings in scoring last season, had just five points, but snared a team-high 10 rebounds.

“Myles Busby did an outstanding job on the boards tonight,” Pawielski said.

Niles finished the night shooting 20-of-62 (32 percent).

The Colonials were led by Jones, who had 19 points and 21 rebounds. Jalen Williams finished with 11 points and Miller 10. Former Niles player Rodney Applewhite did not score and was in foul trouble most of the game.

The Colonials didn’t shoot the ball well either Tuesday night as they were 20-of-60 (33 percent).

Niles was defeated by Clay in the JV contest 72-44.

Connor Glick led the Vikings with eight points. Jason Taylor led Niles with eight points. Gevanta Nichols, Jesse Jordan, Matt Miller and Kale Pollard all scored seven points.

CLAY 51

Jalen Williams 4 0-0 11; Jeermal Franklin 0 1-2 1; Zach Nemeth 1 0-0 3; Marcus Wilkerson 0 1-2 1; Jurod Wooden 1 0-0 3; Taron Miller 4 1-1 10; Rodney Applewhite 0 0-0 0; Darren Taylor 2 0-0 4; Kenny Jones 8 2-4 19; Desmond Preston 1 1-1 3. TOTALS: 20 5-8 51

NILES 56

Myles Busby 2 0-2 5; Matthew McLaughlin 3 1-2 8; Austin Parks 7 4-4 21; Logan Harpenau 1 1-1 3; Alec Brown 3 0-0 8; Anthony Bice 0 0-0 0; Taylor Campbell 0 0-2 0; Quintin Irby 4 3-8 11; Mitchell Dehn 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20 9-19 56

Clay 15 26 35 51

Niles 19 30 44 56

3-point baskets: Clay 6 (Franklin 3, Wooden, Jones), Niles 7 (Busby, McLaughlin, Parks 3, Brown 2). Total fouls (fouled out): 17 (none), 12 (none). Varsity record: Clay 3-1, Niles 3-0