Corina Jahfetson of Baraga takes a 3-point shot during the Kiwanis Classic Border Bash held at the Lindquist Center in Ironwood on Thursday, June 8, 2023. Jahfetson scored 27 points and was named MVP in Northern Michigan's 116-83 win over Northern Wisconsin. (Ironwood Daily Globe photo by Jason Juno)

By JASON JUNO

Ironwood Daily Globe

IRONWOOD — Miss Upper Peninsula Basketball was actually coming off the bench in Kiwanis Classic Border Bash held at Gogebic Community College on Thursday evening.

That’s how loaded the Northern Michigan girls roster was in this senior all-star game.

Hancock’s Isabella Hebert scored 22 points in her reserve role as this team with two All-Upper Peninsula Dream Team selections and three NCAA Division II commits soundly defeated Northern Wisconsin 116-83.

“As soon as I saw the roster, I knew this (Northern) Michigan team was pretty stacked,” coach Jesse Mackey of Ironwood High School said. “There were a lot of great basketball players in this group.”

The Michigan team set a Border Bash record for points in the girls all-star game. Only two other teams had surpassed 100 points in the previous eight games, with Wisconsin hitting 108 in 2021. That would rank in the top five on the boys side, as only four boys teams have scored more than 116.

Mackey said his team scored so much because they had so many smart basketball players.

“They almost didn’t need me tonight — very talented group of girls, but they were also a very unselfish group of girls,” she said. “They’ve very athletic, extremely basketball minded. I think that’s where we had one up on the Wisconsin group, who were a very athletic team, we just had very basketball skilled girls.”

The defense was strong as well. Wisconsin persevered and got the tally up into the 80s, but way before that in the first half they were stuck on 16 points for a long time.

“They were very aggressive,” Mackey said of his charges. “When they were trying to throw into the post, the guards were fronting the post, they weren’t letting the ball get in there easily. Competitive, competitive group.”

Corina Jahfetson, the top player from Baraga’s state runner-up team, was named the all-star game’s MVP. After missing her first four 3-point tries, Jahfetson knocked down nine of them for all of her game-high 27 points.

“It’s no surprise watching her be that hot from outside,” said Mackey, whose Red Devils are in the same conference (Copper Mountain). “She did it all through her basketball career at Baraga and on their state run. Just a phenomenal player. Very gifted shooter.”

Houghton’s Meghan Trewhella had 22 points and Sault Ste. Marie’s Claire Erickson, a Ferris State recruit, scored 17.

The 6-foot Erickson impressed Mackey and Wisconsin coach Dean Kahl of Prairie Farm.

“Phenomenal basketball player,” Mackey said. “For a big girl to run the floor like that and be able to pass weak side so easily, she was a force.”

Hebert went right to work when she got into the game.

“Her post moves were so basic, but she knew how to finish strong around the rim and she was really impressive tonight,” Mackey said.

The other D-II commits on Michigan’s team were Escanaba’s Mari Bink (Saginaw Valley State University) and Sault Ste. Marie’s Kenzie Bell (Northwood).

Ewen-Trout Creek’s Kate Borseth, the other Dream Team selection on the roster besides Hebert, Ontonagon’s Makennah Uotila and Ironwood’s Alaya Ruotsala represented the far west end of the U.P.

“Alaya defensively, she was all over the floor, she was reading defensive situations very well as always,” Mackey said. “Kate Borseth, she’s the same way. She’s in on every play, she’s very aware of what’s going on around her. She played very unselfish tonight, probably could have took a few more shots. Makennah, it was really nice to see her attack from the inside but also the outside as well.”

Antigo’s Sophie Schlieve, a Ripon College recruit, led Wisconsin with 22 points, Auburndale’s Annamarie Aue had 15, Ashland’s Brynn Erickson 13 and Northwestern’s Tieryn Plasch 10.

Hurley’s Melissa DiGiorgio and Courtney Corullo both scored four points.

Wisconsin ended the day shooting just 4 of 27 from 3 while Michigan was 16 of 32. They were 29 of 69 inside the arc and the Yoopers were 28 of 43.

“They shot the ball really well and we didn’t today,” Kahl said.

“We missed a lot of easy shots early. Credit them, they’re a really good team. And I didn’t think we defended as well as would have, but boy they shot the ball well.”