Iron Mountain, MI – February 20, 2017 – The Ishpeming Hematites boys basketball team were down in Iron Mountain on Monday night to take on the Mountaineers. Iron Mountain came into this game tied for the top spot in the UPSAA Boys Basketball poll with a record of 15-2. One of those two losses came at the hands of the Hematites earlier this year, when Ishpeming beat them 65-47.
The game got off to a slow start with neither team getting good offensive looks. Iron Mountain used three trips to the free throw line early to build a 4-2 lead. After Iron Mountain took a 6-2 lead on a Charlie Gerhard basket, Ishpeming responded. They scored the next 5 points to gain the lead midway through the first quarter 7-6. Iron Mountain scored 7 of the final 10 points of the quarter, 5 from reigning MPC Player of the Year Carson Wonders, to take a 13-10 lead into the 2nd quarter.
The second quarter was a back and forth battle for all 8 minutes. Wonders got the scoring going with an early basket, which was answered by the Hematite’s Evan Gravedoni. Charlie Gerhard scored a basket to give Iron Mountain a 19-12 lead, and it was the last field goal the Mountaineers would register in the quarter. The rest of Iron Mountain’s points came from the charity stripe, where they went 9 of 10 through the rest of the quarter. The Hematite’s did not get to the free throw line nearly as much and relied and solid shooting and play making to keep things close. Hart Holmgren scored 8 points in the quarter and lead a late charge to keep things close as the Hematites trailed 26-24 at the half.
The third quarter started with Iron Mountain looking to take control. They scored the first two baskets of the quarter to go up 6. Ishpeming responded with a 3-pointer from Matthew Trawick to cut their deficit in half. After the teams exchanged baskets, Ishpeming hit another but 3-pointer, this time from jaden Tucker, and the Hematites found themselves down just 2. After the teams once again exchanged buckets and Iron Mountain lead 36-34, freshman point guard Marcus Johnson stepped up for the Mountaineers. He went on a 5-0 run himself to go up 7. Ishpeming trailed 43-36 heading into the final quarter.
Carson Wonders proved to be too much for the Hematites over the last 8 minutes. He got the scoring going to begin the quarter, but the Hematites quickly answered with a Hart Holmgren 3 pointer. Iron Mountain then went on a 6-0 run, with Wonders scoring 4 of the six from the free throw line. Iron Mountain outscored the Hematites 20-12 in the 4th quarter, with 12 coming from Wonders alone. Ishpeming fell to the Mountaineers 63-48.
The loss drops the Hematites to 8-9 on the season. They look to bounce back when they take on the Kingsford Flivvers on Friday, February 24th. We’ll have all the action for you on 98.3 WRUP and WRUP.com.
LISTEN – FULL GAME – Ishpeming Hematites defeated by Iron Mountain Mountaineers 63-48