Houghton's Tessa Rautiola (4) and Kate Filpus (23) look to block out Calumet's Bailey Strom during a game Monday in the Houghton Gym. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Monday night’s match up between the Houghton Gremlins girls basketball ball team and the Calumet Copper Kings was the tale of two halves. While the Copper Kings (4-10) won the first half, 36-24, the Gremlins nearly tripled their score in the second half, and won, 68-50.

They outscored their opponent 21-8 in the third and 23-6 in the fourth. That equates to a 44-14 second half win for the Gremlins.

According to Houghton coach Julie Filpus, the uptick in play might have been the fear of running wind sprints at practice the next day.

“The message to the girls was that if they don’t want to spend a practice sprinting for points given up,” she said, “then they better start locking down.”

In the first half, turnovers plagued the Gremlins, and the Copper Kings took advantage of it, according to Julie.

A triple by the Copper Kings’ Kyla Strom at the end of the first put her team up, 21-15. Not much changed in the second. The Copper Kings were patient and worked the ball well. They doubled their six-point lead to 12 at half.

Then came the Gremlins storming back in the second half.

“I saw a lot of good things from the girls,” stated Filpus.

A 3-pointer by Kate Filpus at the 3:05 mark of the third put the Gremlins (12-4) within one at 44-43. Teammate Ellie Hainault gave them the lead next time down the court with a jumper to make it 45-44.

While the Copper Kings were stuck at 44, the Gremlins pushed out to a 52-44 lead in the fourth and the eventual 18-point win.

The Gremlins had nine girls score, much to Coach Filpus’ delight.

“Ellie Hainault gets the game ball,” said Julie. “She had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds and was a force to reckon with on defense.”

Also in double figures for the Gremlins was Ruby Zawada with 16.

The Copper Kings had three with 10 or more points. They included Jess Anderson and Bailey Strom with 11 and Kyla Strom with 10.

Up next

The Copper Kings will be in Ewen-Trout Creek Wednesday. The Gremlins travel to L’Anse on Thursday.