Niles’ Taylor Campbell splits the Lakeshore defense to get off a shot in the Vikings’ 62-45 loss to the No. 5-ranked Lancers. (Daily Star Photo/JOSEPH WEISER)

STEVENSVILLE — Offensive struggles plagued the Niles boys basketball team in its 62-45 loss Tuesday to No. 5-ranked (Class B) Lakeshore.

The Vikings, who never led, shot 33-percent (15-of-46) from the field. Those disappointing numbers prevented Niles from sweeping the season series against the Lancers. Earlier in the season, the Vikings beat the Lancers, 53-38.

Niles, which entered Tuesday’s game tied for first place with Kalamazoo Central in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West Division, fell to 10-2 division and 14-2 overall. Lakeshore improved to 10-2 in the division and 15-2 overall.

“I thought it was a night of missed shots and momentum killing whistles,” said Niles coach Todd Pawielski. “But, quite honestly, Lakeshore was the better team tonight.”

In the fourth quarter, the Lancers especially showed they were the better team. Lakeshore outscored Niles, 29-12, to finish the game. The Lancers shot 75-percent (9-of-12) from the field and were 11-of-16 from the free throw line over the final eight minutes.

Lakeshore took the lead for good at 35-33 after getting a basket from Harold Wiggins with 6:48 left in the game. A little over a minute later came a whistle that seemed to shift the momentum to Lakeshore. After Niles’ Myles Busby was called for a fouled on a blocked shot he was called for a technical. Ryan Avery hit 1-of-2 foul shots for Lakeshore and Wiggins made both technical free throws to give the Lancers a 38-33 lead with 5:20 left in the game.

Pawielski was asked if Busby’s technical was a momentum changer.

“No,” the Vikings coach said. “I think we were little frustrated with some of the calls. We know better than to get a technical in that situation. Our kids reacted tonight that they thought on a some of the reach in plays that we got a lot of ball. It was consistently a foul all night so we have to deal with it.”

Before Lakeshore’s run at the end, Niles had fought back to tie the game at 33 after trailing 10-0 in the first quarter and 25-18 at halftime. The Vikings missed their first eight shots in the game.

“I thought Lakeshore shot it pretty well,” Pawielski said about the start to the game. “We had some good shots to start the game.”

Pawielski wasn’t happy with how the first quarter finished as Keith Brushwyler hit a rebound basket as time expired to give Lakeshore a 12-5 first quarter lead.

“I thought the real momentum killer was the questionable basket at the end of the first quarter,” Pawielski said. “But our kids responded. We have a veteran team. We played well and gave ourselves a chance to win.”

Niles had some momentum going into halftime after Austin Parks hits a 3-pointer as time expired to pull the Vikings within 25-18 at the half.

“Halftime was pretty calm,” Pawielski said. “We just talked about what we needed to do to be successful. I thought our shot selection was a little questionable at times tonight and we missed some free throws.”

A bright spot for Niles was Busby, who finished with 25 points and six rebounds. Parks added nine points.

“(Busby) did some good things going to the basket and with his rebounding,” Pawielski said. “We just have to shoot better as a team.”

Loren Johnson and Ryan Avery each scored 15 points to lead Lakeshore.

NILES 45

Myles Busby 8 8-9 25, Austin Parks 3 2-3 9, Mitchell Dehn 0 0-0 0, Taylor Campbell 1 1 3-6 5, Matthew McLaughlin 2 0-1 4, Quintin Irby 0 0-0 0, Logan Harpenau 0 0-0 0, Alex Brown 1 0-0 2, Aaron Pierce 0 0-0 0, Anthoney Bice 0 0-0 0, Arias Williams 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15 13-19 45

LAKESHORE 62

Michael Welch 3 0-0 6, Loren Johnson 5 5-6 15, Alex Klunder 3 0-1 6, Austin Kaiser 0 2-3 2, Ryan Avery 5 5-8 15, Harold Wiggins 3 5-7 11, Keith Brushwyler 1 0-0 2, Alex Moneta 0 0-0 0, Jordan Avery 1 1-2 3, Tyler Whitwam 0 0-0 0, Mikey Rivette 0 0-0 0, Elliot Lemon 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 22 18-27 62

Niles 5 18 28 45

Lakeshore 12 25 33 62

3-point baskets: Niles 2 (Busby, Parks), Lakeshore (none). Total fouls (fouled out): Niles 25 (McLaughlin), Lakeshore 17 (none). Technicals: Niles (Busby), Lakeshore (Brushwyler). Shooting: Niles 15-of-46 for 33-percent, Lakeshore 22-of-40 for 55-percent. Rebounding: Niles 19 (Busby 6), Lakeshore 29 (Welch 7). Turnovers: Niles 9, Lakeshore 15