Houghton’s Lane Laux looks to pass against Ewen-Trout Creek’s Joey Trodochaud during a game Wednesday at the Houghton Gym. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — It seemingly took just one game to work out the opening-season jitters for the Houghton Gremlins boys basketball team. On Monday, the Gremlins (1-1) struggled to hit shots in their opener against the Jeffers Jets, losing 57-47.

After a strong practice on Tuesday, Gremlins coach Jared Lawson made some adjustments, and his squad earned a 62-48 win in their second game of the week against the Ewen-Trout Creek Panthers (0-1).

“Monday (against Jeffers) had all the trappings of an opening game,” he said. “There were air balls and poor passing for us. This game really did not have much of that.”

The Gremlins won the tip-off and had the hot hand. Tim Brown and Luke Hill both hit threes to put the Gremlins up 6-0. They kept the lead the whole game pulling into the end of the first quarter with an 18-7 advantage.

The hot hand turned to the Panthers in the second. They opened with a 7-0 scoring run before the Gremlins could find the net at the 4:40 mark. The Ewen five had lowered the deficit to just six points with a score of 22-6. However, the Gremlins maintained a 33-20 lead at halftime.

“I was not happy with the team, especially my returners,” said Panthers coach Brad Besonen, “and I let them know it at half. We had too many turnovers, and we could not move the ball well. It was not fun to watch.”

The second half opened just as the first half did with a triple hit again by Houghton’s Brown. The three-pointer accounted for more than half of the Gremlins’ 62 points. They hit 12 triples while the Panthers sunk just four.

Luke Hill had five triples and led the scoring for the Gremlins with 19 points. Lane Laux followed with 17 points and four triples. Bryce Pugh rounded out the double-figure scoring for the Gremlins with 13 points.

“While he may not have had the most points, Bryce gave it all,” said Lawson. “He gets the game ball.”

At the end of the third, the Gremlins were back at an 11-point lead with the score 46-37.

In the fourth, the Panthers were able to get within 10 points, but that is as good as it got as the Gremlins did not slow down.

“We moved the ball very well tonight,” said Lawson. “That is something this group does very well.”

Austin Gordon led the scoring for Ewen-Trout Creek with 21.

“That was tough,” said Besonen. “While it was a first game, I know we could have, and should have, played better. I am disappointed in our effort. We have some work to do.”

UP NEXT

The Gremlins will welcome the Westwood Patriots on Friday. Tip off is set for 7:15 p.m.