Ishpeming, MI – February 11th, 2022 – The Ishpeming Hematites boys basketball team went against the Iron Mountain Mountaineers Wednesday night. The game was broadcast live on 98.3 WRUP!
1st Quarter – Entering the game the tip off went to the Hematites Wednesday night and Jayce Kipling, a Hematite senior, took it down the court. Preston Gauthier, #20, came up the side with the ball in the back, he passed it off and floated it up for 2 points, 4-3 for the Hematites. The Ishpeming team were on top of the Mountaineers going into 5 minutes left on the clock. The Hematites were still dominating this first quarter when Iron Mountain made a great steal with 2 minutes left in the first. The Mountaineers team responded to an aggressive drive by the Hematites with another
layup, still closing the point deficit. At 9-4 still in favor of the Ishpeming team, Iron Mountain came out with a charging call. Foul on the Mountaineers own Gerald Sampoll Torres, #10 for charging. The Iron Mountain team came up the right side and floated another one in. With 3 seconds left on the clock the Hematites own Parker Gauthier went up for the last shot but was unsuccessful. The Hematites and the Mountaineers went into the second quarter at 12-9 for Iron Mountain.
2nd Quarter – Beginning the second quarter, the Hematites at 14-11 after a successful drive and Iron Mountain took the lead. Hematites on the left side were still searching for some momentum to gain that offensive lead, now at 17-11 the Mountaineers were still performing with no mercy as they just didn’t let them up at all. Jayce Kipling, Hematites #1, attempted a long 3 pointer and it was good giving the team a bit of a boost of needed energy. The teams were battling up and down the court with only 2 minutes left in the first half, the Hematites started to feel some momentum catching up to Iron Mountains 24-16. Hematite’s own Ryan Maki kept making his way around the Mountaineers defense but just couldn’t catch up. At the half the Hematites were still climbing up against Iron Mountain at 34-18.
3rd Quarter – The game was back underway, the Hematites with possession and the ball found Alex Sundberg for a 3 pointer. The Hematites continued to fall to the Mountaineers at 36-18. With 4 minutes left in the quarter, the Hematites kept up on their defensive line and continued to have some great possessions but were really struggling catching up to Iron Mountain. Far in the lead was Mountaineers own Joey Colavecchi was pushing
the ball up the right side and drained yet another 3 pointer, 36-22. Iron Mountain’s offensive drives in this game were just superb, as they rarely left any open opportunities for the Hematites. The Mountaineers ended up fouling the ball giving Ishpeming an opportunity to drive forward. With Alex Sundberg, #5, a 3 pointer gives the Hematites 42-25. There were just no successful passes for the Hematites and they were falling going into the last quarter behind the Mountaineers, at 47-27.
4th Quarter – In the last quarter of Tuesday’s game, the Mountaineers team began with the ball still climbing with their lead at 50-28. The Ishpeming team started their first possession of the quarter with another 3 pointer. Joey Colavecchi from the Hematites made what was thought a clean block was fouled. The Hematites have always struggled with their free throw percentage but later floated one in from the outside. Iron Mountain was still leading Ishpeming at 52-31. Oscar Kangus put the ball up for his own layup and scored another point for the Mountaineers. With the Hematites just falling to Mountaineers in a game that was not going their way, they seemed to slow down towards the end of the game. The buzzer ended the game and the Hematites had no chance for redemption going into the last minutes, 58-33 for the Mountaineers.
ENDING SCORE: 58-33 L
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