CALUMET — Gwinn pulled out their snow shovels to dig out of a big snowbank, but much like the city they were in, it proved too much as Calumet posted a 57-45 high school boys basketball victory on Friday night.

The Modeltowners fell into a deficit that reached 27 points during the first half and was still 32-12 at halftime.

But Gwinn used a full-court pressing defense to turn the tide in the second half, getting as close as six points before the Copper Kings made it a double-digit margin in the end by sinking 6 of 7 free throws in the fourth quarter.

“We dug such a deep hole and we just didn’t have enough time to get all the way back,” GHS coach Jim Finkbeiner said. “We seemed to be dead on our feet after the long bus ride, but then we came out with much better energy to start the second half.

“The guys really came to life on defense then.”

The Modeltowners’ Mastin Love hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 14 points, while teammate James Harnick also tripled twice for 12 points.

Brevin Antilla paced Calumet with 17 points as Trevor Torola had 13.

Calumet not only hit its fourth-quarter free throws, making 11 of 13 overall to just 2 of 4 for Gwinn.

The Modeltowners, who won the JV game 39-19, host Escanaba on Tuesday.

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Dollar Bay 72, Republic-Michigamme 33

At Dollar Bay, the visiting Hawks made something of a game of it in the first half, trailing just 15-10 after one quarter and 32-16 at halftime.

Still only trailing 44-22 after three periods, the Bays went on a 28-11 tear that included seven 3-pointers in the final quarter.

Kolin Conklin paced R-M with 10 points, making five 2-pointers and at least one each quarter. Teammate Eli Luokkala added seven points while Derek Koski had six.

DB’s Ashton Janke led all scorers with 26 points, including five triples, while teammate Davin Hill added 20, also with five treys as the Bays hit 15 3-pointers altogether.

The Hawks host North Dickinson on Tuesday.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.