Paul Peterson/For the Gazette Jeffers’ Brenna Hill is stopped by two Chassell players Monday night in Chassell.

CHASSELL — Patience, it is said, can be a virtue.

The Chassell High girls basketball learned that Monday night against the Jeffers Jets.

“We didn’t play our best basketball night,” Chassell coach Bill Sleemans said after his team’s 35-31 Copper Mountain Conference victory. “But we were patient, kept grinding away and came away with an ugly win. I’m proud of the girls for that.”

The victory boosted the Panthers to 9-8 on the season, while the Jets slipped to 8-9 this winter.

Chassell was able to stay a step ahead of the Jets, despite missing several free throws and committing more than their share of turnovers.

Jeffers rookie coach Addie Saltarelli said her team sermed to be in a hurry most of the contest.

“We were just rushing things,” Saltarelli said. “We hurried our offense and just kept turning the ball over way too much.”

After taking a 5-0 lead early in the opening quarter, Jeffers went through a scoreless stretch of nearly nine minutes and fell behind by an 18-8 margin by the halftime break.

The steady play of Paige Sleeman and Madisyn Holombo kept the Panthers on course in the opening two periods.

Jeffers narrowed the deficit to 26-22 by the end of three quarters.

The Jets — anxious to get the ball back in the final stanza — kept fouling the Panthers’ best free throw shooter in Sleeman.

The sophomore forward knocked seven charities to keep the lead safe.

Sleeman, coming off a 35-point effort last week, paced the winners with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four steals.

Holombo pitched in a steady game with 11 points and three steals.

Senior Linnae Heinonen led the Jets with 10 points and four steals. Marrisa Nordstrom had seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.

“She (Heinonen) played a good game for us,” Saltarelli said. “We just needed a little more balance tonight.”

Chassell travels to Watersmeet on Thursday.

Jeffers  5 3 13 10 – 31

Chassell  9  9 8 9 – 35

JHS: Nordstrom 7, L. Heinonen 10, Hill 4, M. Heinonen 5, Johnson 4, Jurmu 1. FT: 11-19; Rebounds: 22 (Nordstrom 8) Fouls: 18; Fouled out: None; 3-point FG: M. Heinonen 1, Nordstrom 1.

CTS: Warren 3, Sleeman 15, Palosaari 2, Rantamaki 2, Holombo 11, L. Huhta 2, FT: 13-25; Rebounds: 33 (Sleeman 11); Fouls: 16; Fouled out: None; 3-point FG: None.