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Despite back-to-back defeats, it may have been another week of progress for Ely’s high school boys basketball team.
The Timberwolves shook off a slow start and gave perennial contender Mt. Iron-Buhl a test, falling 69-59 in a Jan. 18 Arrowhead Conference contest in Ely.
Two days later, Class AA Duluth Marshall struggled at times with the Wolves before holding them off 72-59.
Ely, currently rated fifth in Section 7A is now 10-4 headed into a Friday night showdown with number-four Littlefork-Big Falls.
MIB (11-2) is the third-rated team in 7A and used its height advantage to outrebound the Wolves and control much of the matchup.
“We fell behind by as much as 5126 and just kept battling back and cut it to eight at one time there,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “Early on in our schedule a lot of games weren’t very competitive. Even in these losses I thought we made some strides even though we struggled against both of them. MIB, their big guy we just couldn’t contain and against Duluth Marshall it was the same things. They have Brooks Johnson (UMD recruit) and we had a hard time containing him inside.”
Mt. Iron-Buhl not only controlled the boards against the Wolves but also honed in defensively on Ely junior sharpshooter Jack Davies, who was held without a field goal.
Senior Caid Chittum led the Wolves with a team-high 25 points while senior Trenton Bishop and junior Drew Johnson nailed five three-point baskets.
“I thought they did a good job of taking Jack away but Drew and Trenton both stepped up from the outside,” said McDonald. “I think we have five guys who can shoot well, we just haven’t had them all shoot well in one game.”
TJ DuChamp paced Mt. Iron-Buhl with 27 points and Chris King was next, pouring in 20 points for the night, Johnson and the Hilltoppers followed a similar pattern Saturday against the visiting Wolves.
“We got down again early, got that one down to eight and then faded at the end,” said McDonald. “I thought we defended better in the second half and shot way better in the second half too.”
Davies, Chittum and Johnson all finished with 17 points for the Wolves and Chittum completed a double-double with 11 rebounds.
• Tuesday’s home game with McGregor was pushed back two days because of cold weather, kicking off a back-to-back slate that also included Friday’s game at Littlefork-Big Falls. Ely will be out to avenge a loss to Class AA Greenway Tuesday at home and Deer River, ranked second in 7A, comes to town Feb. 4.
