Ishpeming, MI – February 11, 2021 – The Negaunee Miners were in doubleheader action on Friday evening. The boys teams kicked things off in Ishpeming. The game was broadcast live on Sunny 101.9 and Sunny.Fm!
Q1: Ishpeming was the winner of the Jon’s Auto opening tip, as the first possession led to Negaunee’s Mason Sager to disrupt the offense and knocking the ball out of bounds. Preston Gauthier opened up scoring in the contest to give the Hematites the early lead. Ty Jacobson followed that with a bucket of his own for Negaunee to tie things back up.
The Miners found themselves down by four early on. Free throws from Brody Bell cut the Ishpeming lead to two. Jayce Kipling answered with authority with a dunk to build the Hematite lead. Negaunee stepped up their defense by running a press against Ishpeming. The tight defense led to Kipling driving the lane and drawing the foul from Jacobson. Kippling was able to convert the three point play.
Negaunee was down by five when Ty Jacobson worked off the pick-and-roll to put it off the glass for the bucket. The Miners stepped up their defense as well. Brody Bell swatted away a shot attempt from Ishpeming and caused a turnover in the process. Negaunee’s press defense proved problematic as they caused yet another Ishpeming turnover.
The Miners couldn’t convert the turnovers into points, as they closed the quarter down by nine when Ishpeming hit a bucket at the buzzer.
Q2: The quarter started with Negaunee recieving a technical foul over the scorebook/roster. The foul cost them two free throws and gave Ishpeming the ball. The Miners opened down on the scoreboard 21-10. Gavin Downey scored the first points of the quarter for the Miners.
Miner Brody Bell cut the Ishpeming lead to six when he landed a big time three-pointer. The teams went back and forth for over a minute and a half until Jayce Kipling had his shot find the bucket for Ishpeming. Negaunee’s Jackson Gladwell answered back the following possession with a jumper. Gavin Jacobson added on for Negaunee as he took a foul on his way to the hoop, which his shot landed. Mason Sager closed out the quarter landing a pair of free throws to cut the lead to five.
Q3: Ishpeming opened up with an old fashioned three-point play which was converted. Negauneee answered back with a three-pointer of their own from Gerald Johnson. Preston Gauthier put the Hematites back up by six when the Ishpeming offense found him down low to go off the glass for the bucket. The Miners were back within four with a Ty Jacobson bucket. Negaunee clawed back within one with points on back to back possessions. Mason Sager was able to convert a three point play after his shot landed with the foul.
Gauthier put Ishpeming back up by three with a set of successful free throws. Negaunee’s defense continued to pester the Hematite offense. Ty Jacobson was able to intercept an inbound pass and was the one who made the bucket on the other side. Negaunee looked to take their first lead of the evening when Sager went to the charity stripe. Both of his free throws found their mark and Negaunee led, 34-33.
Q4: The final eight minutes started with the teams tied at 35. Negaunee’s defense opened with a blocked shot from Brody Bell. The Miners went the other way, finding Bell who was fouled on the way to the hoop. Bell converted the free throws to give Negaunee the lead. With six minutes left in the game, both teams found themselves in the bonus.
Negaunee took their biggest lead after split free throws from Gavin Jacobson. Ishpeming’s Alex Sundberg tied things up once again after making a very tough looking shot. Sundberg followed that up by giving the Hematites a lead with a three-pointer.
With things tied up once again, it was very much a defensive battle down the stretch. The Hematites took the lead with a pair of three pointers, with Preston Gauthier putting up the second and putting Ishpeming up six. Mason Sager answered back driving the lane to put it up for two. Alex Sundberg took to the free throw line with a one-and-one and only landing one. The Miners cut the lead to three when Ty Jacobson went up strong and was fouled but made the bucket. Jacobson was able to land the free throw, making it a two point game.
Ishpeming’s offense looked to keep things rolling, and was able to draw a foul to go to the line. AJ Prosser landed both free throws to build the Hematite lead. With under a minute to go Negaunee’s offense fought back, but to no avail as Ishpeming walked out the gym the winners of this rivalry game.
FINAL: Ishpeming 50, Negaunee 46
The Miners are back on the court Tuesday when they host the Gladstone Braves. The game will be live on Sunny 101.9 with the Elder Agency Pregame followed up by the 7:15 tip-off!
