PORTAGE — It was a tale of two halves for the Niles girls basketball team against host Portage Northern Friday night.

The Vikings led 31-29 at halftime, but was shutout by the Huskies in the third quarter en route to a 53-37 SMAC West Division setback.

Both teams were deadlocked at 15-15 after one quarter, while the Vikings (0-3, 0-1 West) grabbed the two-point advantage at the intermission.

The Huskies (2-2, 2-2 SMAC West) outscored Niles 16-0 in the third quarter to open up a 45-31 lead.

Kayla Blett led Portage Northern with 11 points and Paige Poulter 10.

Freshman Alycia Patterson scored 12 points to lead the Vikings, who also got 10 points from Jaycee Myer.

“Both young ladies had a great defensive game as well,” first-year Niles coach Jessica Johnson said. “However, it wasn’t enough to pull out the win.”

 

PORTAGE NORTHERN 53, NILES 37

At Portage

NILES 37

Taylor Gipson 3 0-0 6; Deshanay Alexander 0 0-0 0; Alycia Patterson 4 2-2 12; Caitlin Daly 1 1-2 4; Claudine Tudor 0 0-0 0; Aynslee Myer 1 0-0 2; Jaycee Myer 4 0-0 10; Lajan Mitchell 1 0-0 3.

PORTAGE NORTHERN 53

Claire Holly 2 0-0 4; Trinity Posey 3 1-4 8; Kayla Blett 5 0-2 11; Lexie Coon 0 2-2 2; Paige Poulter 3 4-4 10; Liz Kimmel 2 4-4 8; Chyna McMillian 2 2-2 7; Lauren Heneger 0 3-5 3.
Niles                15       31       31       37

Northern        15       29       45       53
3-pointers: Niles 6 (Patterson 2, Daly 1, J. Myer 2, Mitchell 1), Portage Northern 3 (Posey, Blett, McMillian). Varsity records: Niles 0-3, 0-1 SMAC West; Portage Northern 2-2, 2-2 SMAC West.