SOUTH BEND — After a strong first quarter Tuesday, the Niles boys basketball team was overwhelmed by South Bend Clay’s athleticism.

The Vikings dropped to 1-2 after falling to the Colonials, 79-46.

“We’re going to learn from our mistakes, but we’re going to have a contest to see who can forget about this game the fastest,” said Niles boys basketball coach Todd Pawielski. “I’m hoping to forget about it by the time I get on the bus.”

The Vikings led 19-16 to start the second quarter and then Clay dominated.

Clay forced Niles into 26 turnovers with 12 of those miscues coming in the second quarter when the Colonials outscored the Vikings, 22-5.

“Clay played very well from the second quarter on,” Pawielski said. “But I was disappointed with our mental toughness. We seemed to lack the toughness or the discipline to get the ball where it was suppose to be. Our guard play tonight was not what it needed to be for us to win a game like this. Once Clay got on a roll the game was pretty much over at halftime.”

A move made by Clay coach Joe Huppenthal seemed to ignite the Colonial. Huppenthal benched his starters with 2:37 left in the first quarter with his team trailing, 12-11.

“We just didn’t have any energy, emotion or enthusiasm,” said Huppenthal, whose team improved to 4-2. “I told (the five starters) that they weren’t going back in until I see that we’re ready to go. The group of five came in and did a nice job and kept us in the game. (Niles) had 19 points in the first quarter which is inexcusable defensively.

“I think our energy definitely picked up and (the five starters) got the message. I thought Kenny (Jones) had a phenomenal night offensively.”

The 6-foot-5 Jones finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in three quarters of action. Jones totaled 11 points in the second quarter.

Niles, which graduated all five starters from last year’s team, was outrebounded, 42-16, and had seven of its shots blocked.

“We’re going to just keep plugging away,” Pawielski said. “Clay’s defense had a lot to do with our problems tonight, but our decision-making tonight was just horrific.”

Tate Brawley scored 11 points and Mitchell Dehn added nine to lead Niles. Brawley scored eight points and Dehn added four in the first quarter.

“I thought Mitchell Dehn played hard for us and Tate Brawley played well,” Pawielski said.

Martavious Richmond scored 14 points and and Taron Miller added 11 for Clay, which had 10 different players score and seven players grab at least three rebounds.

 

NILES 46

Alexander Brown 3, Tate Brawley 11, Mitchell Dehn 9, Cole Clemens 3, Anthony Bice 5, Gevanta Nichols 1, Jeremy Wortham 4, Connor Glick 8, Jesse Jordan 0, Matthew Miller 0, David Haynes 2, Arias Williams 0

CLAY 79

Taron Miller 11, Kenny Jones 21, Rodney Applewhite 3, Martavious Richmond 14, Marcus Wilkerson 3, Darren Taylor 5, Emeka Andrews 2, Desmond Preston 9, Gilbert Williams 9, Dion Harris 2, Devontah Johnson 0, Warren Taylor 0, Justin Packingham 0

 

Niles 19 24 34 46

Clay 16 38 59 79

3-point goals: Niles 3 (Brawley, Clemens, Bice), Clay 4 (Miller, Richmond, Taylor, Williams). Total fouls (fouled out): Niles 12 (none), Clay 18 (none). Shooting: Niles 15-of-33 for 45-percent, Clay 35-of-71 for 49-percent. Rebounding: Niles 16 (Wortham 4), Clay 42 (Jones 11). Turnovers: Niles 26, Clay 15