Ishpeming, MI – March 2, 2017 – Hematites fans got a glimpse into the future on Thursday night when the Ishpeming Hematites JV boys basketball team took the court against the Norway Knights on 98.3 WRUP.
The offenses were cold coming into the final game of the season for the two teams. It took over 3 minutes before the first basket of the game was registered by Norway’s Kody Hendricks with under 5 minutes on the clock. It would be another 3 minutes before Ishpeming recorded their first basket of the game. After Norway built a 7-0 lead, Joffrey Braun finally got the Hematites on the board with a score with under 2 minutes to play in the quarter. Ishpeming’s Hunter Smith hit a big 3 toward the end of the quarter, but Norway took a 9-7 lead into the second quarter.
Ishpeming found much more efficient offense in the second quarter. Norway went up 14-10 on a Payton Thompson 3-pointer, and it was the last basket the Knights would register with the lead. Ishpeming went on an 11-0 run, getting contributions from a mess of players, and took a 21-14 lead. Norway got one more basket before Ishpeming scored the last 7 points of the half. Outscoring Norway 18-2 down the stretch of the second quarter, the Hematites took a 28-16 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was much of the same for Ishpeming, getting efficient offense and coupling it with stellar defense. The two teams traded baskets for the first 4 minutes of the quarter, but the last 4 minutes were all Hematites. With Ishpeming leading 34-22, Gavin Argall scored 7 points, with Braun adding another 2, and the Hematites went on a 9-0 run to end the quarter. They lead 43-22 going into the final period.
The game was in hand in the final quarter, and the Hematites ran as much clock as they could. Norway tried to claw their way back into it, but the Hematites refused to let it happen. The Hematites won the final game of their season, 49-28. The Hematites finish their season as Mid Peninsula Conference Champions and 16-3 overall.
LISTEN – FULL GAME – Ishpeming Hematites defeat Norway Knights