Dollar Bay-Tamarack City’s Caleb Kentala (left) and Hancock’s Ned Larson battle for open position during a game Wednesday at the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Gym.  (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

DOLLAR BAY — A big second-quarter scoring run by the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts boys basketball team led to a 70-54 victory over the Hancock Bulldogs on Wednesday.

After winning the first quarter, 13-11, the Bulldogs pushed out to a 31-18 lead early in the second with some sharp shooting and a slight height advantage underneath the hoop. However, they then went cold and were seemingly stuck at 31. Meanwhile, the Blue Bolts got hot and put in 17 unanswered points to close out the first half with a four-point lead at 35-31.

“We had a good offensive balance tonight,” said Blue Bolts coach Jesse Kentala. “In particular, Caleb (Kentala) had the hot hand, and really drove the offense creating offense for a lot of different guys.”

As the third got underway, the Blue Bolts (8-12) stayed hot. The Bulldogs could not find the rim, and were still stymied at 31.

It was a 43-31 Blue Bolts’ lead by the time the Bulldogs’ Shaun Kilpela sunk a three to jump start Hancock’s engine. However, it did little good as they sputtered into the start of the fourth quarter down by 16 with a score of 56-40.

The fourth quarter was much the same. The Bulldogs just could not catch up. For every two points the Bulldogs were able to score, the Blue Bolts matched it with three.

While the Hancock squad was able to score 14 in the fourth, so did their opponents.

Caleb Kentala led the scoring for the Blue Bolts with 27 points. This included five of his team’s eight 3-pointers. Joining him in double figures were Connor Laitala with 15 and Liam Tourtillott pumped 14.

The Bulldogs scoring was led by Alex Pietila with 21 points. Ned Larson followed him 16.

“We need to learn to play a complete game,” said a frustrated Bulldogs’ coach Zach Ohtonen. “We start out strong and then seem to fizzle. We have do a better job of finishing. Tonight was nothing new.”

UP NEXT

The Blue Bolts will welcome Baraga to their gym Friday at 7:15 p.m. The Bulldogs travel to West Iron County Friday to face the Wykons at 7:15 p.m.