Houghton’s Paige DeForge, left, grabs a rebound in front of Jeffers’ Linnae Heinonen (20) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Houghton, Mich. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Houghton girls basketball head coach Julie Filpus can’t figure it out why her team plays better on the road.

“I don’t understand it but the girls just do not feel comfortable in this gym,” Filpus said. “I am not sue what they they feel or don’t feel but we are a much better team on the road.”

However, their game Tuesday night against the Jeffers Jets (4-4) might be a new precedent as Houghton won 64-52.

Down 22-28 at the halfway mark, they Gremlins (3-5) stepped up their game in the third and fourth quarters, outscoring the Jets 42-23.

It was quite a change from the first half of the game as both teams did not find the hoop.

“We had the shots and our inside game was good,” said Jeffers head coach Addie Saltarelli. “The ball would not go in.”

Of the two poor shooting teams, the Jets proved to be better as they capped the first eight minutes with an 11-8 lead. To add insult to injury, Gremlins senior Ally Ronis went down in pain as she hit the floor hard on a rebound with less than two minutes remaining in the first.

The second looked a lot like the first for both teams. However, The Jets turned a three-point lead quickly into a 16-8 lead. A frustrated Filpus had seen enough and called a timeout, which turned into an audible as she let her Gremlins know their play was an embarrassment.

It seemed to work as her girls poured in 10 points and eventually four more to close out the half down 22-28 but with some momentum headed into the locker room.

If home games are the nemesis of the Gremlins, Saltarelli said the Jets are struggling with the third quarter. It proved itself again last night. She said that twice now her girls have been leading or were close and returned from the locker room to the floor flat and uninspired.

“This was a similar set up against our game against Ontonagon,” Saltarelli said. “The girls just waltzed out and played lazy defense and with no intensity.”

The Gremlins took advantage of it as they took the lead early on in the third and never looked back. The Gremlins freshman Stella Wickstrom capitalized on a four-point play which gave Houghton a 31-30 lead. The lanky center was fouled while shooting and after missing her first free throw, got her own rebound and scored on the putback.

Wickstom was key in the Gremlins second-half turn around. She poured in a team-high 27 points and had 23 rebounds.

“What a game for Stella,” Filpus said. “I tell her that while she is just 5-foot-11 it is more of what is in her mind and heart that matters and she showed that intensity as the game went on.”

The Gremlins led 45-41 after three quarters and made it 55-45 soon into the fourth and the Jets just could not catch up. They were led by Miranda Heinonen who sunk 19 points.

Back to the drawing board for Saltarelli and the Jets as they prepare to play Hancock on Friday at home.

“We will be doing some conditioning and more game time situations,” she said.

Meanwhile the Gremlins will try to make it two in at home as they welcome Westwood on Friday.

Jeffers 11 17 13 11 — 52

Houghton 8 14 23 19 — 64

JEFFERS(52): B Heinonen 2, Hill 9, L. Heinonen 3, Johnson 9, Jurmu 3, M. Heinonen 19, Pennala 7. 3-point FG: 4 (M. Heinonen 3, Jurmu 1). F: 16. FT: 6-12.

HOUGHTON (64): Peterson 9, Bugni 13, Connors 1, Trewhella 10, Wickstrom 27 Svoke 4. 3-point FG: 3 (Peterson 3). F: 13. FT: 15-25.

Baraga 78, Republic-Michigamme 18

BARAGA — The Baraga Vikings girls basketball team sailed past the Republic-Michiganite Hawks on Tuesday with an impressive 78-18 win. The moved their record to 7-0 on the season.

Allison Durant led the Vikings with a double-double, including 22 points and 11 rebounds. Rylie Koskinen followed with 20 points and Reide Osterman poured in 18 for the win.

Republic 9 4 4 1 — 18

Baraga 23 30 11 16 –78

REPUBLIC (18): Radcliffe 3, Laasko 4, Raisenen 6 Dick 2, Kangas. 3-point FG: Radcliffe 1. F: 11 FT 1-2.

BARAGA (78): Koskinen 20, Osterman 18, Durant 22, Lindemann 12, Jahfetson 6. 3-point FG: 5 (Koskinen 2, Ostermann1, Jahfetson 2). F: 11. FT: 1-2.

L’Anse 43, Hancock 34

L’ANSE — The one-two punch of Maija Rice and Addison Mattson combined for 33 in the Purple Hornets’ 43-34 win over the Hancock Bulldogs on Tuesday.

While the Bulldogs played the Purple Hornets closely they could never overcome a lead by the L’Anse girls. Kaisa Salani led the Bulldogs with 11 points.

Hancock 5 10 6 13 — 34

L’Anse 7 11 11 14 — 43

HANCOCK (34): Chynoweth 2, Sebbas 10, Salani 11, Brey 2, Driscoll 2 Kero 7. 3-point FG: 1 (Sebbas 1). F: 16. FT: 13-18.

L’ANSE (43): Martinez 1, Rice 19, Mattson 14, Voskuhl 9. 3-point FG: 3 (Voskuhl 1, Mattson 2). F: 16. FT; 12-19.

LL-H 25, Bessemer 17

LAKE LINDEN — The LL-H Lakes under the leadership on Megan Corrigan and Jamie Hendrickson were able to down the Bessemer Speedgirls in a low scoring affair on Tuesday.

According to the Lakes coach Jack Johnson, defense was also key.

“Despite shooting very poorly from the field were able to play well defensively in order to cause some problems,” he said “Our half court man defense and full-court pressure created a few opportunities for us to attack the basket and get to the foul line.”

Bessemer 2 8 3 4 — 17

LL-H 6 4 6 9 — 25

Bessemer (17): Stone 1, McGeshiek 6, Fingeroos 5, Aili 1. 3-point FG: 2 (Fingeroos 1, Aili 1). F: 13. FT: 10-16.

LL-H (25): Corrigan 8, Wagner 4, Baccus 4 Hendrickson 9. 3-point FG: 1 (Corrigan 1). F: 13. FT: 10-16.