Ishpeming, MI – March 2nd, 2020 – The first round of the MHSAA girls basketball playoffs started Monday night. The Hematite girls basketball team hosted their arch rival, the Westwood Patriots, to start their quest to reach Calvin College. Unfortunately, this would be the end of the road for the Hematites as they would lose this one, 52-31. Congratulations to Ishpeming seniors; Emma Poirier, Kayla Koski, Tia Mattila on excellent careers, remember, at Ishpeming High School, tradition never graduates.
FIRST QUARTER
The Patriots would start on a 4-0 run in the first two minutes, the Hematites would get on the board after a Emma Poirier free throw, she would then make a layup on her next trip drown to make it a 4-3 game in the early going.
Tessa Leece would steal the ball and make a nice layup to make it 8-3 and it seemed like Ishpeming would need to respond quick to keep up with the quick patriot play. They got what the doctor ordered after Emma Poirier nailed a deep three-pointer to make it 8-6, favoring Westwood. With 2:30 to go in the quarter, the Patriots would extend their lead to six going up 12-6. Natalie Prophet would make an old-school three-point-play to extend the patriot lead to nine.
Right at the end of the quarter, Ishpeming got a boost of help from Jocelynn Nyman as she floated in a shot with three seconds to go, it would be 17-8, Patriots lead after one.
SECOND QUARTER
Emma Poirier would start the second quarter with a nice shot, Westwood would respond instantly with a two-pointer of their own. Nyman would get a shot to fall next time down for Ishpeming, it would 19-12 in favor of Westwood.
Kayla Koski was the third Hematite to get on the board as she nailed a shot from deep, but Tessa Leece would respond with a three-pointer of her own. Leece would make a short jumper and the Hematites needed a response, 28-15.
A 7-0 run for the Patriots was ended after a Poirier free throw, but the Patriots would respond with a Madelyn Koski Three-pointer.
HALFTIME – Patriots 35, Hematites 17
THIRD QUARTER
Rebekah Loman would find herself in foul trouble, she picked up her third foul with seven minutes to go in the quarter.
The Patriots came out of half time ready to put the game away, they would go on a 5-0 run to start the second half and went up 40-17, Madisyn Mead would get the Hematites on the board with a deep three-pointer, 40-20. Poirier would follow it up with a bucket of her own and there would be another Ishpeming bucket to follow, 40-25, Westwood.
Both teams would put the clamps down on defense and it would be 42-25 at the end of the third, only one made basket in the final three minutes of the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Just like the three quarters before, the Patriots would come out scorching hot, looking to put the Hematites away, but it would quickly devolve into a defensive slug fest. The Patriots would start by making two buckets, one from three, the Hematites would respond with a bucket, it would be 47-27 until 4:10 to go when Natalie Prophet made a free throw to put Westwood up 21.
With three minutes to go, both sides would send the backups in as it was 50-29 in favor of Westwood.
FINAL SCORE – Westwood 52, Ishpeming 31.
Join Tyler Young and Bob Nadeau Tuesday, March 3rd as the Ishpeming Hematite boys basketball team take on West Iron County at home. Game time is 7:15, pregame show at 6:45 on 98.3 WRUP.
Listen to a recording of the live broadcast HERE.
