Houghton's Henry Lounibos is all defense against Ironwood in a game Monday at the Houghton High School gym. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Despite a cold start on the hardwood of their home floor, the Houghton Gremlins boys basketball team was able to bounce back and earn a 64-48 win over the Ironwood Red Devils Monday at home.

Neither team scored in the first 2:30 of the game. Ironwood eventually got on the board first and took a 4-0 lead. Houghton tied that quickly, and kept going, closing out the first with an 18-11 lead.

“I told the guys that we are going to have games we are going to be cold,” said Gremlins coach Jared Lawson. “We were just off, and things didn’t fall our way, but we still won the game by 16.”

In the second quarter, the Red Devils gained a brief 21-20 lead, only to have the Gremlins regain it with a Terrence Nolan triple. That morphed into a 32-21 lead for the Gremlins at half

“Game ball goes to the team and their effort in particular in the second half,” Lawson said. “We moved the ball and found that open guy.”

The Gremlins had four players in double figures. Leading the charge was Nolan with 23 points. Jack Cooke followed him with 15. Alex Hebert had 13, and Mason Mayo sunk 10.

While Ironwood outscored the Gremlins 16-15 in the third, it was not enough. They were outpaced 17-11 in the fourth.

For the Red Devils, Brendan McCullough poured in 23 to top the scoring. Nick Miskovich followed with 14.

Up next

The Bulldogs travel to Ontonagon on Wednesday to face the Gladiators. Tip off is set at 7 p.m.