BENTON HARBOR — Senior Gavin Rasler hit two of three free throws with less than a second remaining as visiting Niles upset No. 9-ranked Benton Harbor 61-59 Friday afternoon.

The loss means that the Tigers share the SMAC West Division championship with Portage Central and Portage Northern. All three times finish at 7-3.

The Vikings (6-14) trailed Benton Harbor (14-5) 50-44 heading into the final quarter of the regular season.

Niles outscored Benton Harbor 17-9 in the last eight minutes to cap off a good two days heading into the Class A District at Portage Central Monday night.

Thursday night the Vikings held off rival Buchanan 60-57.

Rasler finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, while senior Tyler Phillips added 14 points and five assists.

Benton Harbor got a game-high 22 points from Jalon Gunn and 11 points from Shawn Hopkins.

 

NILES 61, BENTON 59

At Benton Harbor

NILES 61

Don Jennings 2, Bryce Lake 8, Jake Hamm 4, Alex Harpenau 7, Tyler Phillips 14, Gavin Rasler 19, Chris Brown 7. TOTALS: 25 8-15 61.

BENTON HARBOR 59

Roy Anderson 5, Jaton Gunn 22, Cornelius Newby 2, Curtis Dawson 10, Shawn Hopkins 11, Jalon Stevens 4, Milton McGee 5. TOTALS: 24 7-18 59.

 

Niles                            16       30       44       61

Benton Harbor          15       35       50       59

3-point goals: Niles 2 (Lake); Benton Harbor 4 (Gunn 3, Dawson); Total fouls (fouled out): Niles 15 (none), Benton Harbor 16 (Stevens) Technical foul: Rasler (Niles). Varsity records: Niles 6-14, Benton Harbor 14-5.