Manistique, MI – February 8, 2017 – The Ishpeming Hematites got a hard-fought victory over the Manistique Emeralds in Manistique on Wednesday night as they beat the Emeralds 62-53. The Hematites had to fight their way back from an early deficit to get the Mid Peninsula Conference win and continue their winning streak.
The game didn’t start the way the Hematites had planned. The Emeralds scored 7 of the first 9 points in the game to build an early 5 point lead. The Hematites battled their way back and took their first lead of the game when they sank a 3-pointer and went up 12-11. The Hematites surrendered the next 5 points to Manistique to surrender their lead. A Jake Arnold basket put the Emeralds up 18-14 with under 10 seconds remaining in the quarter, but Hart Holmgren banked a long 3 at the buzzer to cut the Hematites’ deficit to 1 heading into the 2nd quarter.
The 2nd quarter did not feature nearly as much scoring as what was seen through the first 8 minutes. The teams traded baskets throughout the quarter and neither team could pull away. Ishpeming took the lead on a Hart Holmgren basket late, but Manistique answered with a quarter-ending buzzer beater of their own when Nolan Armock hit a 3 as time ran out in the half to give the Emeralds a 27-25 halftime lead.
The third quarter played out much of the same way. Neither team could pull away from the other. Through the first 8 possessions, each team registered 4 baskets. Manistique looked to get momentum after a Darien Nichols’ 3 but the Hematites answered right back with a Matthew Trawick 3 to tie things back up. Manistique went up 3 again late on another Nichols’ basket, but the Hematites scored the final 4 points of the quarter to take a 1 point lead into the final frame.
The Hematites were finally able to pull away in the fourth quarter. The Hematites used consecutive baskets to build a 4-point lead and they would not relinquish it the rest of the game. Manistique got back to within 3 on a Jake Arnold basket but Ishpeming proceeded to go on a 6-0 run to give themselves some breathing room. Thanks to some missed free throws down the stretch for Manistique, the Hematites were able to seal the game with free throws of their own. The Hematites took home the win, 62-53.
The win improves the Hematites to 7-6 on the year. They look to keep their winning ways going when they take on the Negaunee Miners on Friday, February 10th. We’ll have all the action for you on 98.3 WRUP and WRUP.com.
LISTEN – FULL GAME – Ishpeming Hematites defeat Manistique Emeralds 62-53