Niles cannot overcome turnovers
Published 7:56 am Tuesday, March 8, 2016
PORTAGE — A quick start was not enough for the Niles boys basketball team in a 49-40 loss to host Portage Central in the opening round of the Class A district tournament Monday.
The Vikings jumped out to a 12-0 lead and led 23-17 at halftime.
But turnovers allowed the Mustangs to get back into the game and finally overtake Niles in the final 16 minutes.
Portage Central (16-5) outscored the Vikings (6-15) 16-8 in the third quarter. The Mustangs led 33-31 heading into the final quarter.
Gavin Rasler finished with 17 points to lead Niles, which also got eight points from both Bryce Lake and Jake Hamm.
Austin McCullough had 12 points for Portage Central.
PORTAGE CENTRAL 49, NILES 40
At Portage Central
NILES 40
Bryce Lake 8, Jake Hamm 8, Dustin Anders 2, Tyler Phillips 5, Gavin Rasler 17. TOTALS: 13 10-14 40
PORTAGE CENTRAL 49
Austin McCullough 12, Dayton Juday 7, Joe Stewart 2, Daniel Bowditch 5, Raine Potts 8, Andrew Gabel 5, Jeff Criswell 7, Jack Eichman 1, Johnny Maier 2. TOTALS 16 1-21
Niles 12 23 31 40
Portage Central 4 17 33 49
3-point: Niles 4 (Lake 2, Phillips, Rasler), Portage Central 3 (Mccullough, Juday, Bowditch); fouls (fouled out): Niles 19 (none), Portage Central 18 (none). Varsity record: Niles 6-15, Portage Central 16-5.