×

Too big a mountain: Negaunee Miners forced to play catchup vs. athletic Iron Mountain boys basketball team, fall 56-46

Negaunee’s Drew DuShane, right, tries to put up a shot over Iron Mountain’s Charlie Gerhard in the first quarter of their high school boys basketball game played at Lakeview Memorial Gym in Negaunee on Monday. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

“Against a good team you can’t spot them 12 points right out of the gate.” — Dan Waterman, head coach, Negaunee boys basketball

—————–

NEGAUNEE — If there’s one thing Negaunee head coach Dan Waterman can take from his team’s contest against undefeated Iron Mountain, it’s that his young team never quit.

The Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association then-No. 2 Class A-B-C team defeated the Miners 56-46 on Tuesday night at the Lakeview Memorial Gym to remain unbeaten at 11-0, while Negaunee dropped to 5-8. IM subsequently moved up to No. 1 in this week’s poll.

Waterman said his team started off with cold feet against a strong Mountaineers team.

“I thought we were a little timid early in the game and they (Iron Mountain) did what a veteran team does, they jumped on us,” he said. “My kids kept fighting, they played hard to the end and made a run, but against a good team you can’t spot them 12 points right out of the gate.

“We got better as the game went on, but Iron Mountain is more athletic than us. To compensate for that, we have to be fundamentally sound and we have to put body on body to pull a rebound.

“I thought in the first half, especially, they really hurt us on the offensive glass. We’ve just got to keep coming in and working hard. We’re getting really close to being a really good team. We’re going to get that breakthrough and stay positive. If we keep working hard we’re going to get there.”

Iron Mountain head coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said the Miners are always a tough Mid-Peninsula Conference opponent.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game up here,” he said. “They’re so well coached and their kids play hard. Anytime you come to Negaunee and get a win, it’s a good win so we’re happy with the victory.”

Asked about a deep playoff run to the state finals at the Breslin Center, Johnson said they’ll take it slowly.

“These kids have some pretty lofty goals,” he said. “They’re passionate about basketball, they love the game, but we know that’s a long way off. We have to get better at some things, Negaunee didn’t quit out there, but that’s what they want to do and we’re going to try and get there one game at a time.”

The Mountaineers dominated the first quarter, racing to a 7-0 lead on buckets from freshman guard Foster Wonders and sophomore forward Tony Feira. Negaunee sophomore guard Jason Waterman put the Miners on the board with a jump shot, but the Mountaineers scored seven more points after that to jump ahead 14-2. The score was 20-7 at the end of the first.

The Miners limited Iron Mountain to just eight points in the second quarter and had the deficit down to 11 points at the break, 28-17.

IM came out of the lockerroom on a 5-0 run to begin the third and went up 41-25 by the end of the frame.

Negaunee chipped away at the lead in the fourth. With IM up 49-34, Miners sophomore Jakson Sager and senior Jacob Ennett hit consecutive 3s to cut the Mountaineers’ lead to nine.

It was too little too late, though, as the Mountaineers added seven more points and played keepaway for the remaining minute or so.

Sophomore guard Marcus Johnson led the Mountaineers with 25 points and said his squad’s 11-0 start to the season is due to solid team play.

“Our defense this year has been (playing) pretty well,” he said. “We’ve been playing a lot together, all the core guys. We have good team chemistry and we want to win. All we want to do is win and go as far as possible, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”

Wonders added 15 for Iron Mountain. Negaunee was led by Sager with 14 points while Ennett had 13 and Waterman 10.

IM travels to West Iron County tonight while Negaunee hosts Gwinn on Thursday.

Iron Mountain also won the JV contest 47-45.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today