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Boys Basketball: Iron Mountain hands Norway first loss

Race for MPC title tightens

Iron Mountain's Jaden Vicenzi, right, attacks the basket as Norway's Justin Bal, left, defends during a Mid-Peninsula Conference game Friday in Iron Mountain. The Mountaineers won 54-43. (Adam Niemi/The Daily News)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Mid-Peninsula Conference boys basketball race got a little tighter Friday.

Iron Mountain, led by Carson Wonders’ 22 points and 11 rebounds, clipped previously unbeaten Norway 54-43 before a packed Mountaineers’ gym.

The Knights (14-1, 8-1 MPC) own a one-game MPC advantage over the Mountaineers (14-2, 7-2) and Negaunee in the loss column.

“It was a battle out there,” said Iron Mountain coach Bucky Johnson. “It was a hard fought game and close to the vest. Norway is everything they’re advertised to be. That’s a good system and disciplined.”

The Knights, ranked No. 1 in the U.P. Class ABC poll, held an 8-6 lead after the first quarter. They experienced a five-minute scoring drought in the second quarter to trail 22-15 at halftime.

Norway started the third quarter with a traditional three-point play from Connor Ortman to close the gap to 22-18. That was the closest the Knights would get for the rest of the game.

“They shot poorly in the first half,” said Knights coach Ben Leiker. “We shot poorly in the first half. We continued to shoot poorly, and they improved in the second half. We couldn’t get a shot from outside four feet to fall, and that included free throws.”

The Knights shot 34 percent from the floor including 2 of 21 from the three-point line. Norway misfired on 9 of 18 free throws while Iron Mountain converted 13 of 15. Wonders made all eight of his attempts.

“Our free throw shooting was outstanding,” Johnson said. “Carson was steady all night.”

Norway’s defense was focused on the 6-foot-4 Wonders, a Northern Michigan University basketball recruit. However, sixth-man Riley Caudell foiled those plans with 10 points in the fourth quarter.

“What can you say about Riley Caudell?” Johnson said of the 5-11 senior guard. “He comes to practice every day and works hard. He took his time. His feet were set. He knocked them down. That was a big part of the fourth quarter.”

When the Knights closed to five points on two occasions in the fourth quarter, sophomore Jaden Vicenzi hit two free throws and Caudell would deliver points.

Caudell canned back-to-back treys to put the Mountaineers on top 45-32 with 4:46 remaining. He produced a steal and bucket after Norway got back to 45-37 with three minutes remaining.

“I thought defensively we played very well,” Leiker said. “We had to give up something when Wonders is on the block. Caudell came through with the biggest shots of the game.”

Leiker said the MPC website had Caudell for one made three-pointer this season out of nine tries.

“We left the kid open because we thought percentage-wise that was our best chance,” Leiker said. “We went with the percentages and the percentages lied. Caudell had a great game. He was phenomenal.”

Caudell finished with 13 points. Teammate Charlie Gerhard had three steals.

“We didn’t get off to the greatest start in the third quarter but then we came alive,” said Johnson, his Mountaineers ahead 31-18 midway through the third after two traditional three-pointers from Wonders and a Marcus Johnson trey. “I thought we were patient for the most part offensively. The kids made some plays.”

Ortman and Bryce Broden each scored 14 points for the Knights. Justin Bal chipped in 10. Ortman had four blocked shots. Josh Plante was credited with four assists.

Norway, which moves to the Skyline Central Conference next season, has three league games remaining with Negaunee, Ishpeming and Westwood. The Knights beat the Mountaineers 48-44 on Dec. 16.

“That’s one (MPC title) of our goals and it’s up to us to do it,” Leiker said. “It’s going to be tough. But these games are fun. I told the kids in the locker room if Iron Mountain celebrates like that you know you’re a decent team. We just came up on the wrong end. Bucky does a heck of a job.”

The Mountaineers have Negaunee and Ishpeming left on the MPC slate.

“Now it’s a little closer,” Johnson said. “So we’ll see what happens.”

Incidentally, Iron Mountain faces Norway to start the Class C district at Iron River on March 8.

“I’m sure that’ll be something else,” Johnson said.

Both teams switch to non-conference play Tuesday, with the Mountaineers facing rival Kingsford for the 209th time in school history while the Knights hosting Forest Park.

Ethan Micoley’s 32 points lifted Norway past Iron Mountain 51-49. Mountaineers’ Owen Caudell and Tony Feira each scored 12 points and Dakota Galeazzi added nine.

Norway 8 7 8 20 — 43

Iron Mountain 6 16 11 21 — 54

NORWAY: Wilson 2, Plante 3, Broden 14, Bal 10, Ortman 14. FT: 9-18. F: 14, Fouled out: Plante (1:17, 4th). 3PT: Bal 2. FG: 16-46. Rebounds: 19 (Ortman 5, Bal 5).

IRON MOUNTAIN: Wonders 22, Johnson 6, Vicenzi 9, Gerhard 4, Caudell 13. FT: 13-15. F: 16. 3PT: Johnson 1, Vicenzi 1, Caudell 3. FG: 18-43. Rebounds: 26 (Wonders 11).

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