“It was a fun game,” Ishpeming head coach Chris Magnuson said in an email detailing the result. “The kids showed a lot of resilience overcoming a 13-point deficit.”

Luoma scored another 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Hematites fell into that double-digit hole during the second half before overcoming it.

Ishpeming (5-1) took a 16-12 lead after one quarter before previously undefeated Jeffers (6-1) had a big second quarter and took a 35-28 halftime advantage.

Levi Frahm led the Jets, who had won all their previous games by at least 10 points, in the second quarter by scoring 14 points, most coming on a quartet of 3-pointers. He finished with 20 points.

Ishpeming's Grady Gauthier, below, is fouled by Jeffers' Landon Larson during their high school boys basketball game played at the Hematites gym in Ishpeming on Wednesday. (Photo coutesy Cara Kamps)

After the Hematites fell into their 13-point deficit, they rallied to get back within 53-51 by the end of the third. In fact, Ishpeming, whose only loss was in its previous game against Iron Mountain, scored 47 points in the second half alone against Jeffers.

Hunter Smith, who finished with 18 points, and Parker Gauthier, who had 14, joined Luoma in providing all the offense for Ishpeming in the final period. Smith had eight points and Gauthier six in the fourth, with Gauthier hitting a pair of 3s and Smith one.

Matthew Schutz led the Jets with 21 points, while teammate Landon Larson scored 15 and Lincoln Just 12.

Both teams shot free throws often — and well. Jeffers made 15 of 19 for 79%, while Ishpeming was a solid 16 of 22 for 73%.

After the Hematites faced Munising on Thursday, they return to complete a four-game homestand with a contest against Manistique at 7:15 p.m. next Friday.

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