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It’s make-or-break time for the Ely Timberwolves, at least when it comes to playoff seeding.
Friday night’s home game with Chisholm opened a five game stretch that will end the regular season for Ely’s high school boys basketball team and determine where it will land in a crowded Section 7A playoff seeding picture.
At 15-6, the Wolves seem destined for a top-eight seed and a home game when the tournament begins in early March, but they’re in a mix of several teams that are jockeying for position and hoping to avoid being matched up with defending state champion and prohibitive section favorite Cherry.
“We don’t want to fall to the eight spot and have to play Cherry early,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “I think the key will be to continue to play defense and hopefully our shooting comes around down the stretch as that has been very inconsistent.”
The Chisholm game began a flurry that includes a rematch with Mt. Iron-Buhl, the likely number-three seed, followed by a Feb. 21 home battle with South Ridge that looms large. Road games with North Woods and Fond du Lac are part of the final week of the regular season.
“We have some big seeding games here starting with the Chisholm game,” said McDonald, who is closing in on the 600-win mark in his career and a recently inducted member into the state high school basketball coaches hall of fame. “I think the highest seed we could get is the five seed but we will need to beat Chisholm, South Ridge, North Woods and FDL down the stretch.”
Last weekend, the Wolves scored back-to-back blowout wins - one at home and one on the road.
Saturday’s 108-36 romp over Lake of the Woods came after a 70-43 thrashing of visiting Mesabi East.
Both games were fueled by huge Ely runs.
The Wolves secured a season sweep over Class AA Mesabi East, rallying from an early 11-5 deficit with a 36-3 run that ended the opening half.
Senior Caid Chittum continued his scoring spree and poured in 25 points with 11 rebounds to lead the way. Junior Jack Davies was next in line, scoring 22 points, with eight rebounds and six assists.
The Wolves’ full-court pressure was the difference in Baudette. Ely created turnover after turnover against the overmatched Bears and put things away early.
By halftime, the Wolves had 78 points and the contest was over.
Chittum was again the high scorer, recording 38 points including 28 in the decisive first half., Davies contributed 24 points to the barrage, with junior Drew Johnson netting 17 points and sophomore Wyatt Tedrick hitting double digits with 14.
