For Niles senior Alex Harpenau, Tuesday night’s season opener was all about effort.

Despite Harpenau’s career-high 23 points, the Vikings let a double digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter as visiting Three Rivers rallied for a 74-72 non-conference victory.

“We made a bunch of mental mistakes at the end,” said Harpenau following the game. “We learned a lot from this game. We need to work on transition defense. I think in the half court I think coach said we only gave up two points. But we need to get in better shape and we need to work on transition defense.”

Trailing 56-44 with 1:29 to play in the third quarter, Three Rivers seemed to find its legs and went on a run to narrow the gap.

The Wildcats cut the Vikings’ lead to 56-51 heading into the fourth quarter.

Just 1:02 into the final eight minutes, Three Rivers’ Gavin Charvat canned a 3-pointer to give the Wildcats their first lead, 59-58.

The game would go back and forth from that point on.

Charvat’s basket with 15 seconds remaining would turn out to be the game-winner.

“This was a game we shouldn’t have lost,” said Niles coach Todd Pawielski. “We keep saying that we’ve got to be gritty and not pretty. But we didn’t do the tough things that we have to do to be successful. We’ve got to be tougher in the lane and we took some bad shots at crucial times.”

Pawielski said his team did plenty of good things at the offensive end. He was pleased with the play of Harpenau.

“He rebounded and made some good post moves,” Pawielski said. “What a great night for Alex.”

Pawielski was also happy with the play of Bryce Lake at the offensive end of the floor as well as Austin Brookins and Tre Gray.

“Bryce Lake hit some shots and Tre Gray and Austin Brookins really played well off the bench.”

The veteran Viking coach knows that if his team is going be successful, his team is going to have to tighten up on defense and rebound better.

“Our defensive transition was non-existent in the second half,” he said. “We got out of the press with about six minutes to go and then they just destroyed us on the board. We were up two with about 1:10 to play and had three chances at a rebound and did not get it. Three Rivers was a little tougher in the lane tonight when they needed to be.”

Harpenau also had nine rebounds, while Lake finished with 12 points, all on 3-pointers. Jacob Hamm finished with 11 points and three assists. Brookins scored 10 points, all of which came in the fourth quarter.

Carson Charvat had a game-high 26 points to lead the Wildcats, who also got 17 points from Jalen Heivilin and 11 points from Tirrell Hausmanis.

Niles (0-1) opens up SMAC action Friday night as it travels to Portage Northern.

 

THREE RIVERS 74, NILES 72

At Niles

THREE RIVERS 74

Gavin Charvat 9, Carson Charvat 26, Tirrell Hausmanis 11, Sam Hawkins 9, Jalen Heivilin 17, Esden Stafne 0, Ashley Manansala 2, Max Chapman 0. TOTALS: 30 7-14 74.

NILES 72

Austin Curran 0, Alex Harpenau 23, Jacob Hamm 11, Bryce Lake 12, Dawson Clemens 6, Keegan Neumann 0, Chad Barton 2, Austin Brookins 10, Tre Gray 5, Jonathon Bybee 0, Dustin Anders 1, Camron Canniff 2. TOTALS: 27 10-16 72.

 

Three Rivers            16       25       51       74

Niles               15       34       56       72

3-point baskets: Three Rivers 7 (C. Charvat 5, Heivilin 1, Hawkins 1), Niles 8 (Lake 4, Harpenau 2, Hamm 1, Clemens 1). Total fouls (fouled out): Three Rivers 17 (none), Niles 16 (none). Varsity records: Three Rivers 1-0, Niles 0-1.