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Prep Basketball: Jeffers girls power past LL-Hubbell in 70-14 win

PAINESDALE — The Jeffers Jets girls basketball team played no favorites Monday night, hosting the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes in Copper Mountain Conference hoops.

The Jets scored by driving and passing inside, by shooting mid-range jumpers, and from beyond the arc. The Jets also sprinkled in some transition points, took care of the ball, and ripped down offensive rebounds to beat the Lakes (6-13) by a 70-14 score to kick off Homecoming Week.

“(Jeffers) moved the ball really well,” Jets coach Addie Saltarelli said. “This whole season I’ve been trying to get them to move the ball like that and take good shots. They did really well with that, setting up the plays and knowing when to drive and (when to) shoot.”

Three Jets hit double figures in the victory with junior Miranda Heinonen depositing 15 points alongside seniors Brenna Hill (12) and Dayna Johnson (11). The Jets (9-10) — a veteran squad featuring all upperclassmen — had very few empty possessions throughout the game and scored the first 25 points of the contest in their dominiating win. In contrast, even though LL-H had some good looks, they just could not get shots to fall all night.

In the first quarter, the Lakes avoided a blank frame when Kayla Pini sunk a pair of free throws with about 24 seconds left to get Lake Linden on the board.

In the first six minutes of the second quarter LL-H actually played with the Jets with the teams even at nine points apiece in that span. But Jeffers closed out the half with nine straight points to lead 45-11 at the break.

“We were able to knock down a couple shots in that (six-minute) stretch,” said Lake Linden head coach Jack Johnson. “But the reality is in every position on the court Jeffers was better (tonight).”

The Lakes did get shut out in the third quarter and Jeffers extended the lead to 57-11. In the last minute of the fourth, Jolena Perala’s 3-pointer again saved the Lakes from a goose egg in the box score.

“When another team steps up and applies some pressure to us and we’re not able to generate looks from inside the paint, we’re forced to rely on outside jump shots,” Johnson said, noting his squad is shooting about 20 percent from the floor over the course of the season. “Doesn’t usually work in our favor.”

Each team has one regular season game left before district play begins next week.

LL-H heads to Calumet on Friday before taking on Chassell to open the state Division 4 tournament. Jeffers stays home Thursday to bring in L’Anse in conference play.

The Jets’ first district opponent is yet to be determined.

LL-Hubbell 2 9 0 3 — 14

Jeffers 27 18 12 13 — 70

LAKE LINDEN-HUBBELL (14): Destrampe 5, Pini 5, Perala 3, Hendrickson 1. FT: 6-11. 3-point FG: Perala 1, Pini 1.

JEFFERS (70): Miranda Heinonen 15, Hill 12, Johnson 11, Linnae Heinonen 8, Jurmu 8, Anderson 6, Nordstrom 6, Larson 4. FT: 0-4. 3-point FG: Miranda Heinonen 3, Hill 2, Johnson 1.

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