Westwood, MI – December 28th, 2021 – The Negaunee Miners girls basketball team continued their season after more than a week off, when they traveled to Westwood to battle the Patriots.
1Q: Westwood won the tip to begin the ballgame, but couldn’t score the bucket on their first possession, Alyssa Hill and the Miners were able to push the floor for the first points of the game. Quickly the other way, Westwood buried a triple to take the one point lead. The Patriots were able to gain some momentum early on as they took an 8-4 lead after several defensive stops, but five straight points gave the Miners the one point lead once again. Momentum shifted for a 3rd time, as the Patriots and Megan Marta finished the quarter with a 16-13 lead, Marta led with nine points.
2Q: The Patriot lead could have been five to start the 2nd quarter, but thanks to Lilly Nelson and her buzzer beater to finish the first, it was a three point lead that eventually diminished to one after a quick Miner bucket to start the second. After a couple Patriot buckets, Ella Mason was able to get things going for the Miners, she scored a triple and a pair of free throws on back to back possessions. The Patriots were unfazed as a five point lead was made thanks to a triple from Jillian Koski, her first points of the game. Moments later Marta scored her eleventh point of the night to take the seven point lead. A much needed three pointer from Lilly Nelson ended the Patriots 7-0 run, her second of the night. After a scrappy ending to the first half, it was the Patriots with an impressive 32-24 lead.
3Q: After picking up 3 fouls in the first half, Ella Mason looked to stay out of foul trouble heading into the 3rd quarter, as she sat the last three minutes of the
second half for the Miners. With no scoring in the first two minutes of the 3rd, the Patriots were able to score nine straight to take the 41-24 lead. Ella Mason was able to knock down a triple to erase the deficit to fourteen, but the Patriots scored quickly to take back a sixteen point lead, which would extend to 18 after a steal and layup from Natalie Prophet. Heading into the 4th quarter, it was the Patriots with the 47-31 lead.
4Q: The Miners began the 4th quarter with a bucket from Alyssa Hill to change the deficit to 14, the Miners were able to force some turnovers early on, but could not capitalize on the offensive side of the ball. An uneventful three minutes unfolded midway through the quarter as the Patriots scored their first points with just under four minutes to play, on the next possession, the Miners scored a bucket of their own. The Patriots were able to coast for the remainder of the game and handed Negaunee their 4th loss of the season.
Final: Negaunee 39 Westwood 53
The Miners will continue their season on Wednesday, January 5th when they take on the Houghton Gremlins up in the Copper Country. The ball will tip at 7:15 pm, you can hear the broadcast on Sunny 101.9.
