Calumet's Owen Loukus lines up a free throw in a game against Bessemer Monday in Calumet. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

CALUMET — It was opening night on the basketball court Monday for high school boys in Michigan. Locally, the Calumet Copper Kings began their 2025-26 campaign with a 50-42 loss against the Bessemer Speedboys.

“They got us on rebounding,” said Calumet coach Frank Bonacorsi. “They were getting second and third chances under the hoop, and that cannot happen. We did a good job with our shooting, but we needed those second-chance opportunities and were not getting them.”

After tying the score at two and four, Bessemer jumped out to an 18-14 lead with less than 90 seconds to go in the first quarter.

They improved that to a 20-14 lead at the end of one. Leading the charge for the Speedboys was Jayden Verrett. The junior had 14 of his team’s 20 points in the first seven minutes. He went on to lead the Speedboys in points with 20 on the night.

“He gets the game ball with that first quarter,” said Bessemer coach Richard Matrella. “He made Calumet do some things that were uncomfortable.”

In the second, the Speedboys added 13, and the Copper Kings posted 10. Bessemer led 33-24 at half.

However, the scoring tables were flipped in the second half. Calumet won the third, 13-3, but lost the fourth, 14-4. After trimming the lead to two at 36-34, Calumet’s Owen Loukus hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to allow the Copper Kings to take a 37-36 lead into the fourth.

“That was our best quarter,” stated Bonacorsi. “We were aggressive with shooting, and everybody got in. We were able to run with 11 guys tonight.”

If the third belonged to the Copper Kings, then the fourth was all Speedboys. They went on a 10-0 run in the first four minutes and cinched a nine-point victory.

“At the end, we slowed down, and moved the ball well against their zone. I am happy that the boys were able to hold their composure,” added Matrella.

Joining Verrett in double figures was Bessemer’s Cayden Harju with 10 points.

John Golus led the scoring for the Copper Kings with 14. Andrew Juntilla followed with 10.

Up next

The Copper Kings will welcome the Wakefield-Marenisco Cardinals to their gym on Friday.