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Purple Hornets fall at Iron Mountain

IRON MOUNTAIN — Iron Mountain took awhile to get going but eventually dispatched L’Anse 66-35 in West PAC boys basketball Thursday.

The visiting Purple Hornets (3-4) cut a 27-16 halftime deficit to eight early in the third quarter. But the unbeaten Mountaineers (7-0, 3-0) then pulled ahead 48-28 late in the third period.

“We were cold. We were flat. We just didn’t make shots,” said Coach Bucky Johnson, figuring his Mountaineers for one for 15 from the three-point line in the first half. “We didn’t execute particularly well. We we had opportunities but we just didn’t finish.”

Foster Wonders scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half and Marcus Johnson nailed five second-half triples in a 23-point night.

“We got it going later,” said Johnson, his Mountaineers launching the fourth period with a 16-2 run. “We shot the ball better and got the ball where it needed to go.”

Junior Terry Reed led L’Anse with eight points.

“We certainly didn’t take L’Anse lightly,” Johnson said. “They came in and played hard. They were ready to play.”

The Mountaineers wound up shooting 23 of 61 from the floor — 7 for 28 fro behind the arc. Charlie Gerhard grabbed 11 of IM’s 36 rebounds and Wonders had eight. Jaden Vicenzi and Wonders each handed out four of the Mountaineers’ 12 assists. Gerhard and Vicenzi each had three of the team’s 11 steals.

Iron Mountain had four turnovers on the night.

The Mountaineers are off until a Jan. 3 home game with Westwood.

L’Anse 2 14 12 7 — 35

Iron Mountain 11 16 21 18 — 66

L’ANSE: Lister-Jacobson 2, Reed 8, Allen 4, Kissel 6, Bogda 7, Rajala 6, Waara 2. FT: 13-17. F: 16. 3-point FG: Kissel, Rajala.

IRON MOUNTAIN: Johnson 23, Wonders 25, Vicenzi 5, Gerhard 5, Feira 4, Caudell 2, Basanese 2. FT: 11-19. F: 17. 3-point FG: Johnson 6, Wonders.

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