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Vikings still on top of Copper Mountain Conference thanks to victory

DOLLAR BAY — Keith Willis still isn’t satisfied with the way his Baraga High girls basketball team is playing.

“We’re still not playing defense the way we should be doing,” the Baraga skipper said after his team’s 50-33 win over Dollar Bay Monday night. “But we played well enough to get a win tonight …. and I guess that’s the main thing.”

The Vikings, rated second in the UPSSA Class D poll last week, were coming off a tough loss against Jeffers last Friday.

And for three quarters last night, they were tested by a scrappy Blue Bolts team.

DBHS was down by just eight points at 35-27 heading into the final stanza.

“I was pleased with the way we played tonight,” Bolts’ coach Steve Krahling noted. “It was a big improvement over our last two games.”

The victory moved Baraga to 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the Copper Mountain Conference (CCC Division) and kept them in step with co-leaders Chassell and Jeffers.

The two rivals battled on even terms in the first two quarters, BHS holding leads of 9-8 and 24-20.

The Blue Bolts edged to within 24-23 early in the third quarter on a 3-pointer from Paige Isaacson.

Thanks to five points by Justice Kinnunen in the third period and very effective zone pressure, the Vikes managed their aforementioned eight-point lead by quarter’s end.

The fourth quarter saw the eventual winners carve out a 45-32 margin on two baskets and two free throws by versatile Carsyn Osterman.

“Their pressure did hurt us, no doubt about that,” Krahling said. “And they (Vikings) do have a player in Osterman who can close out a game.”

That 10-5 burst was enough to ensure another win by the Purple and Gold.

Willis, who doesn’t have a starter over 5-foot-6 on his roster, said his team can still accomplish some big things.

“We’re not tall, but we hustle,” he said. “We’ll keep working at it and hopefully, can make a run at the end of the season.”

Osterman and Kinnunen showed the way offensively with 15 points each. Casey Mleko added a dozen points to help out.

Osterman played her usual all-around game with a team-leading 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists.

“I believe Carsyn (Osterman) is the top point guard in the U.P., regardless of class,” Willis said. “You know what you’re going to get out of her every night.”

Taylor Busser led the DBHS attack with 10 points. Paige Isaacson chipped in 9 points on three triples, while Bobbi Jo Caskey had five points and a team-best eight boards.

Krahling said his team, 4-7 overall 2-5 in the league, can still be a factor in the upcoming tournaments.

“We have to eliminate our ballhandling mistakes, that’s a big area of concern,” he said. “If we do that, we’ll have a shot.”

Baraga goes to L’Anse Thursday night, while Dollar Bay faces Jeffers on Wednesday.

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