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Chassell out-runs, out-guns Jeffers for third win in three nights

Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Jeffers’ Austin Kinnunen leaps to attempt a layup during a game against Chassell Wednesday at the Jeffers Gym.

PAINESDALE — While it was their third game in a row this week, the Chassell Panthers boys basketball team showed few signs of weariness on Wednesday night as they out-ran and out-hustled the Jeffers Jets, 78-54.

Not only was Wednesday the Panthers’ third straight victory, the win gave them their second win against Jeffers this season.

“I give them a lot credit for keeping up the effort,” said Chassell coach Raphael Soumis. “They played hard for the third night this week.”

Chassell scored first, second, third and then just kept going, jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the first few minutes of the game. John Schultz ended the dry spell for the Jets with 3:50 on the clock with a three-pointer but it was not enough to spark a comeback for the Jets. They were plagued by turnovers and no consistent offense.

The Panthers capitalized on their turnovers and pushed the lead to 18-3 before the first period ended at 18-8.

“We had no heart,” said Jets coach Trent Keteri. “I thought we would do better than this.”

In the second, it was back-and-forth shootout with Chassell connecting time and time again. The height (6-foot-6) and skill of Panthers senior Elijah Soumis proved unstoppable along wit being an advantage over the smaller Jets’ squad. When the ball got into Soumis, he put it in. Many of his 18 first-half points were off of offensive rebounds. The Jets did not block out and were consistently beaten on the boards in all four quarters.

At half time the Panthers led 40-25.

Not much changed in last two quarters. There was no stopping Chassell in the paint as teammates Abe Gockenbach and Soumis found ways to the hoop. Soumis led the Panthers with 28 points and Gockenbach followed with 24. Their team shot an impressive 13-15 from the free throw line. In the third, the Panthers outscored the Jets 19-13. In the fourth, they beat them 19-16 for a 24-point victory in the end.

For the Jets, Christian Hocking led their team with 21 points.

With the win, the Panthers moved to 13-4 with just a few more games to play in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Jets fell to 5-9.

Chassell 18 22 19 19 – 78

Jeffers 8 17 13 16 – 54

CHS: Warren 8, Soumis 28, A. Gockenbach 24, Kytta 5, J. Gockenbach 2, Rautiola 11; Fouls: 10; Foul outs: none; 3-pointers: Warren 1, Kytta 1, Rautiola 1

JHS: Kinnunen 2, Wakeham 6, Frahm 6, Hill 12, Schutz 5, Mattila 2, Hocking 21; Fouls:18; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Hill 2, Hocking 2, Schutz 1

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