Negaunee’s Brody Bell (20) and Ty Jacobson (1) box out Hancock’s J.D. Sebbas on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Hancock, Mich. (Eddie O’Neill/The Daily Mining Gazette)

HANCOCK — The Negaunee Miners boys’ basketball team shutout the Hancock Bulldogs in the first quarter and went on to win 43-24 on Monday. Their pressure defense kept the Bulldogs to under 10 points in three of the four quarters.

While the Bulldogs (1-7) scored 11 in the second, head coach Zach Ohtonen said the effort was there in the first by his boys, but the shots just weren’t falling.

“We took about 10 shots which were three-or-four-foot jumpers, but they didn’t go in,” he said. “We make those, and it is a different game.”

The Bulldogs got within eight points before halftime with a 17-9 and 19-11 tilt. But that was as good as it got as Negaunee (6-3) led 22-11 at half.

Despite be frustrated with sloppy, first-half play by his Miners, Negaunee’s head coach Dan Waterman said the third quarter was his team’s best. They outscored the Bulldogs 10-6.

“We got back into our rhythm and made a little run there,” he explained. ” I was very happy with the play of our senior point guard Jackson Gladwell. He did a good of stepping in and scoring some points.”

Gladwell had 10 points and teammate Ty Jacobson led the Miners with 12.

The Bulldogs however couldn’t find their rhythm as the third quarter progressed.

” While we matched their intensity, we had too many turnovers, and you are never going to win games like that,” said Ohtonen.

Ohtonen said his one and only senior JD Sebbas had the best game of his season. He led the scoring for the Bulldogs with 10 points and played a complete game at both ends of the court.

“JD gave it his all tonight,” Ohtonen said. “He gave it his best effort as he was diving for balls on the floor. We need to see that more often as it energizes our team.”

As the third quarter turned into the fourth, the momentum was on the Miners’ side as a 15-point lead turned into a 19-point lead and a win.

Not all was lost on the Bulldogs’ side according to their coach.

“We need to work on finishing our shots,” said Ohtonen. “However, every game I am seeing improvements. Tonight, we made strides in the rebound department. Little by little we are getting better.”

NHS 9 13 10 11 — 43

HCHS 0 11 6 7 — 24

NEGAUNEE (43): T. Jacobson 12, Gladwell 10, Downey 7, Johnson 10, G. Jacobson 2, Turri 2. 3-pointers: Downey 1, G. Johnson 1. FT: 9-12.

HANCOCK (24): Jacques 2, Larson 4, Sebbas 10, Pietila 6, Lewis 2. 3-pointers: Sebbas 1, Pietila 1. FT: 4-11.