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Boys roundup: Calumet stays in 1st in West-PAC; Jeffers outscores Watersmeet

CALUMET — The Calumet Copper Kings continued their hold on first place in the West-PAC with a 72-48 win over the L’Anse Purple Hornets Tuesday in Calumet.

Calumet (12-4, 5-1) closes the West-PAC season with home games against the Houghton Gremlins on Feb. 28 and Hancock Bulldogs on March 2. 

“It’s nice to be sitting where we are and to have the final two games at home,” Calumet head coach Mike Ojala said. “L’Anse is a scary team that can put up points in a hurry. We’re happy to be where we’re at.”

West Iron County sits at 4-2 in the West-PAC, while Hancock is 3-2. 

Tuesday, Matt Ojala led Calumet with 22 points. The Copper Kings managed to gain a 33-20 halftime advantage before cruising towards the end.

“It was a solid win for us,” Mike Ojala said. “I thought we played well on both ends of the court tonight. We did stuff defensively that was pretty good against some of their scorers. 

“We were moving the ball and getting good shots for our kids. Good, solid performance by everybody.”

L’Anse’s Logan Fish led the way with 12 points; the Purple Hornets shot 18 of 50.

“We had a lot of sick kids tonight and had no legs,” L’Anse head coach Kyle Koski said. “We stuck around for the first half, but Calumet just wore us out in the second half.”

Next, Calumet goes to Chassell on Friday, while L’Anse (5-10, 1-5) goes to West Iron County on the same day.

L’Anse 9 11 10 18 — 48

Calumet 14 19 19 20 — 72

L’Anse — Waara 8, Parker 7, Bogda 4, Simpson 2, Fish 12, Wawrinka 2, Sanregret 1, Tembreull 9, Niemi 3. F: 16; Fouled out: None; Free throws: 8-12; 3-point field goals: Waara 2, Parker, Fish.

Calumet — Hill 3, Matt Ojala 22, Loukus 11, Travis Ojala 7, Hyrkas 1, Kaipio 10, Twardzik 10, Helminen 5, Torola 3. F: 11; Fouled out: None; Free throws: 10-19; 3-point field goals: Ojala, Hill, Loukus, Kaipio.

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PAINESDALE — Despite having three guys foul out on their seven-man roster, the Jeffers Jets prevailed 74-64 over the Watersmeet Nimrods Tuesday in a Copper Mountain Conference game in Painesdale. 

Jeffers was led by the 27-point outing by Jaden Wood, while Caleb Maki scored 21 points. Carson Turner added 11 and Bradley Jenkins scored 10 points. 

The Jets managed to convert 15 of 17 attempts at the free-throw line for an efficient all-around offensive night.

“Offensively, I can’t complain,” Jeffers head coach Duane Snell said. “We played pretty good under the circumstances.”

Jeffers was left with four players after Jenkins, David Jukkala and Turner fouled out. The Jets (13-3, 10-2) had to go the final 40 seconds of the fourth quarter with four guys.

“We were in foul trouble right from the first half,” Snell said. 

After Watersmeet cut Jeffers lead to 58-54, Jenkins responded with a clutch 3-point play to give the Jets the momentum. 

Jacario Holt led the Nimrods with a game-high 31 points.

The win gives Jeffers seven in a row; they’ll try to make it eight when they host Lake Linden-Hubbell on Friday.

Watersmeet 11 18 13 22 — 64

Jeffers 18 23 13 20 — 74

Watersmeet — Rondell McKinney 14, Jason McKinney 1, Winkka 5, Gagnon 11, Caudill 2, Holt 31. F: 15; Fouled out: None; Free throws: 17-21; 3-point field goals: Rondell McKinney 2, Holt 2, Gagnon.

Jeffers — Wood 27, Caleb Maki 21, Nicholas 5, Turner 10, Jenkins 11. F: 20; Fouled out: Jenkins, Jukkala, Turner. Free throws: 15-17; 3-point field goals: Wood 3, Maki 3, Turner 2, Nicholas.

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BESSEMER — Bessemer got revenge on Hancock with a 51-45 non-conference victory Tuesday night.

The game was tied at 37 going into the fourth quarter when Bessemer outscored the Bulldogs 14-8.

“Another quality team, a couple big kids, a couple quality players. It was a big win for us,” Bessemer coach Richard Matrella said. 

Brayden Tomes, who led Bessemer with 13 points, made two layups in the half-court offense with about three minutes left to give the Speedboys a lead. 

Max Samardich had 11 points for Bessemer.

Chad Raasio led Hancock (9-6)with 23 points.

“It was a very physical game,” Matrella said. “It doesn’t hurt us. We can play either style.”

Hancock hosts Ontonagon on Friday.

Hancock 11 12 14 8 — 45

Bessemer 15 12 10 14 — 51

Hancock – Stimac 2, Devin Raasio 2, Chad Raasio 23, Blau 2, Anderson 5, McParlan 11. FTs: 8-12. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: C. Raasio 3.

Bessemer – Cade Mazzon 5, Max Samardich 11, Keegan Bolen 9, Luke Zielinski 8, Ben Bogaczyk 5, Brayden Tomes 13. FTs: 5-14. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Bolen 1, Zielinski 1.

– – –

BARAGA — Five players scored in double figures to pace the Dollar Bay Blue Bolts past the Baraga Vikings 84-31 Tuesday in Baraga in a Copper Mountain Conference game.

Devin Schmitz led the winners with 22 points, while Brendan LeClaire scored 21, Jacob Iacono had 15 and Jaden Janke and Cade Klobucarich each scored 11 points.

“Good win from start to finish tonight,” Dollar Bay (11-3, 9-1) head coach Jesse Kentala said. “I was real happy with our halfcourt defense and transition game.”

Jake Putala scored nine points for Baraga.

Next, Baraga (0-15, 0-10) hosts Ewen-Trout Creek on Friday. Dollar Bay welcomes Watersmeet tonight.

Dollar Bay 21 27 19 17 — 84

Baraga 8 11 5 7 — 31

Dollar Bay — LeClaire 21, Jacob Iacono 15, Schmitz 22, Janke 11, Klobucarich 11, Abel Iacono 2, Kangas 2. F: 6; Fouled out: None; Free throws: 9-11; 3-point field goals: Schmitz 4, Klobucarich 3, Janke, Jacob Iacono.

Baraga — Whitaker 6, Kangas 3, Colton Lindemann 2, Putala 9, Dompierre 1, Beck 2, Francois 6, Gunner Lindemann 2. F: 8; Fouled out: None; Free throws: 1-4; 3-point field goals: Whitaker, Francois 2, Kangas, Putala.

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