By Staff
Clutch free throw shooting down the stretch turned a close game into a nine-point victory for the Niles varsity basketball team Thursday night.
The Lady Vikings beat Battle Creek Central 49-40 in a Big-16 challenge game to finish the regular season with a record of 17-3. The Bearcats finished 16-4.
Junior point guard Amber Peters made five-of-six free throws in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 points. Brandie Radde led Niles with 13 points and Sarah Dreher added 12.
Veronica Armstrong led Battle Creek Central with 12 points.
Niles hosts the Class B District Tournament next week and opens against Coloma Monday at 6 p.m. Dowagiac and Berrien Springs will square off 20 minutes after the Niles-Coloma game.
St. Joseph will face the Niles-Coloma winner Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Lakeshore awaits the Dowagiac-Berrien Springs winner for the second game Wednesday night.
The championship game is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.
Niles………………………..49
Battle Creek Central….40
Niles: Ashley Pingel 1 0-0 2, Amber Peters 3 5-6 11, Jessica Johnson 2 1-5 5, Brandie Radde 5 0-0 13, Sarah Dreher 2 8-10 12, Kate Whittaker 1 0-1 2, Melissa Olsen 1 2-2 4, Ashley Spriggs 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 16-24 49
BCC: Becky Horn 0 2-2 2, Tara West 1 2-2 4, Sherrell Newton 1 0-0 2, Megan Pulley 0 0-0 0, Veronica Armstrong 4 2-5 12, Areathia McClenney 1 1-3 4, Christine Zinke 0 0-0 0, Tiesha Williams 0 0-1 0, Lauren Frost 1 0-0 2, Jocelyn Powell 2 1-2 6, Annesia Barnes 4 0-0 8. Totals: 14 8-15 40
Niles 13 10 12 14--49
BCC 8 9 15 8--40
3-point shooting: Niles 2 (Radde 2), Battle Creek Central 3 (Armstrong 2, McClenney). Team fouls (fouled out): Niles 18 (Peters), Battle Creek Central 19 (none). Team records: Niles 17-3, Battle Creek Central 16-4