Niles senior Nichole Sly will continue her basketball career at Indiana University-South Bend, it was announced on Friday.

Sly chose IUSB over several schools including Bethel, Holy Cross and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Sly is a three-year starter at point guard for the Vikings. She helped lead them to the Class A district and regional titles in 2008 as a sophomore.

“I really like the coaches and I felt like it was somewhere the coaches really cared about me,” Sly said about why she chose the school. “I just love the campus.”

Titans coach Steve Bruce, in his fifth season at IUSB, said that in Sly he was not only getting a quality basketball player, but a quality individual.

“We are very excited to have Nichole join our program for a couple of reasons,” he said. “One is the obvious reason. As a basketball player and the skill set she brings and the love for the game and the giddiness that she has to play. But another reason that is really most important to us is that I consider her an athlete of character and she’s a person who tries to do the right things in life.”

Bruce noted that the Titan coach staff “worked long and hard recruiting Nichole and we had some anxious moments along the way where we had to keep our fingers crossed.”

Niles coach Patrick Touhey said that Friday was both a happy and a sad day for him and the program.

He was excited about Sly selecting a school that best suits her, but a little sad because it signals the end of her stellar career is drawing near.

“I am very happy for Nichole,” he said. “I know how hard she has worked on her game and the time and commitment she has put in. This is the reward for that. To be able to go to a school and have them pay your way and to be the elite recruit they were trying to get at IUSB. It’s something I hope its something she is very proud of because I know I am very proud of her.”

Nichole is the daughter of Cory and Gerri Sly.