By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
MARSHALL - For the fourth time in the last five years the Niles basketball team knocked Marshall out of the Class B Regional Tournament, beating the host Redskins 48-36 Monday night in the semifinals.
The Vikings, now 21-3, will take on Gull Lake in Wednesday's championship game at 7 p.m. at Marshall High School. The Blue Devils, also 21-3, beat Three Rivers 47-45 Monday night. Niles beat Gull Lake 60-47 in the first game of the season.
Sophomore guard Brandie Radde and junior guard Ashley Pingel sparked the Niles offense with a combined six 3-pointers in the first half.
Radde scored 14 of her game-high 19 points before halftime.
Pingel finished with 10 points as the two combined for eight 3-pointers in the game.
With the game tied a six apiece, Niles went on a 13-2 run to end the first quarter with a 19-8 lead. Radde and Pingel each made two 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Sarah Dreher scored all four of her points in the second quarter and a back-to-back Radde 3-pointers, the second one at the buzzer, gave Niles a 29-16 lead at the intermission.
Niles' lead reached 19 points by the end of the third quarter as Pingel and Radde each made a 3-pointer in the third.
Marshall, however, turned up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter and started the period with an 8-0 run. Niles committed six turnovers in the final quarter and saw its lead dwindle to nine points before making three crucial free throws down the stretch to secure the 12-point victory.
With her five 3-pointers Monday night, Radde broke the Niles school record for 3-pointers made in a season. Her total of 46 this season eclipsed the old record of 45, set by Meghan Parks in 2000.
Niles……….48
Marshall….36
Niles: Brandie Radde 7 0-0 19, Ashley Spriggs 0 1-2 1, Melissa Olsen 2 1-2 5, Jessica Johnson 0 0-1 0, Amber Peters 0 4-5 4, Ashley Pingel 3 1-3 10, Kate Whittaker 1 3-4 5, Sarah Dreher 1 2-3 4, Colombe Martin 0 0-0 0, Megan Scameheorn 0 0-0 0, Chardae Ross 0 0-0 0, Jessica Shinsky 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 12-20 48
Marshall: Salina Michael 1 0-0 2, Meagan Mackey 7 2-2 16, Paige Dickerson 1 1-2 3, Sarah Richardson 3 0-0 6, Jenna Williams 2 1-3 5, Kelly Hughes 1 0-0 2, Elizabeth Neidlinger 0 0-0 0, Anna Braner 0 0-0 0, Amber Peterson 0 0-0 0, Ali Wills 0 2-2 2, Ashley Goodrich 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 6-9 36
Niles 19 10 12 7-48
Marshall 8 8 6 14-36
3-point shooting: Niles 8 (Radde 5, Pingel 3), Marshall none. Team fouls (fouled out): Niles 14 (none), Marshall 19 (none). Team records: Niles 21-3, Marshall 18-6