Iron Mountain junior Gerald Sampoll Torres (10) passes the ball to Ian Marttila (14) during the MHSAA Division 3 District 66 semifinals on Wednesday at Mountaineer Gym. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — After securing West PAC – Iron Division and Mid Peninsula Conference titles, the Iron Mountain boys varsity basketball team picked up where it left off on Wednesday in the MHSAA Division 3 District 66 semifinals against Manistique.

In front of a thunderous Mountaineer Gym crowd, the Mountaineers (22-1, 12-0) steamrolled the Emeralds (9-15) en route to a 55-30 win.

“In the first half we just couldn’t buy a bucket,” Iron Mountain head coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “We had good looks, we just weren’t making them. Their defense had something to do with that. We had something to do with that. Oskar (Kangas) had two points at the half.

“In the second half, we were able to get our defense cranked up, get out in transition and attack the rim a little bit more. But defensively, all night, I thought we played great. We’ve got to rebound a little bit better, but give Manistique credit. Their coaches had them prepared, ready to play. They had a gameplan and stuck to it. We’re just happy to get the win.”

Today, the Mountaineers headed to Menominee for the District 66 championship. The Maroons (17-6, 4-4) handed Iron Mountain its only loss, 60-58 in overtime, of the season on Feb. 5 in Mountaineer Gym.

“We’ve been preparing for weeks for this game,” junior Oskar Kangas said. “We don’t overlook opponents, but we kind of thought we’d be facing Menominee. Hopefully, we can come out and play strong and get the win.”

However, the heat between the Mountaineers and Menominee has a longer history than this season.

“It didn’t start on February 5, when we played them this year,” Johnson said. “It started last year on March 10, when they beat us down there. We’ve had a chip on our shoulder for a while and that’s not a bad thing, it’s just the truth. We want to play well and we want to win. Simple as that, we want to win the game.

“We know what it’s going to take to win the game, as Meniominee believes they know what it’s going to take to win the game and whoever can enforce their will and play better, is the team that’s going to win.”

Manistique senior Wyatt Demers kicked off the scoring in the first quarter on Wednesday as he converted a layup and free throw. However, it spurred a 7-0 run by the Mountaineers with Reece Kangas, Gerald Sampoll Torres, Ian Marttila and Matthew Colavecchi each scoring two points.

Both teams traded quick baskets and then things got heated.

The Emeralds’ Parker Graphos picked up a technical foul, sending the Mountaineer crowd into a frenzy.

Reece Kangas made both of the technical free throws and Iron Mountain began to pull away.

Although neither team was shooting particularly well, the Mountaineers held an 18-6 lead at the start of the second frame.

The shooting woes continued for both teams in the second quarter and Iron Mountain took a 25-12 lead into halftime. Oskar Kangas finished the first half with two points.

However, he still made his presence felt by swatting away anything that approached the rim.

“I’m a bit under the weather right now, so I’m trying to play through that,” Oskar Kangas said. “But, coach is always telling me, ‘if you can’t get going offensively, you’ve got to impact the game another way, so defense it was.'”

While Oskar Kangas was a force on the defensive end, he made it a point to turn up the offensive intensity in the second half.

“We had a goal coming into this season and just the realization that if I don’t get going, our goal could come to an end,” Oskar Kangas said. “So I had to get going.”

Oskar recorded nine points in the third quarter and Colavecchi poured in three as the Mountaineers stretched their lead to 21 points, 40-19.

It was all Iron Mountain in the fourth quarter and Oskar Kangas capped the win with a monster two-handed slam off an alleyoop as it picked up the 55-30 win.

The Mountaineers finished the game 2 for 22 from 3-point land.

Oskar Kangas led the Mountaineers with 17 points. He also led them in rebounds (16) and blocks (six).

Iron Mountain also received contributions from Sampoll Torres (4 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 7 steals), Brayden Kassin (7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal), Marttila (2 points, 4 rebounds), Kaden Sheldon (1 rebound), Colavecchi (9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal), Max White (2 points, 2 rebounds), Reece Kangas (9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal), Evan Copley (5 points, 1 steal) and Aiden Ellis (1 assist).

NORWAY 84, NIMRODS 24

NORWAY — With a Skyline Central Conference – Large School crown already secured, the Norway boys varsity basketball team kept its momentum going in the MHSAA Division 4 District 99 semifinals on Wednesday.

The Knights (18-5, 8-0) powered past Watersmeet (7-15, 5-7) for an 84-24 victory.

“We came out with a lot of energy,” Norway head coach Jeff Gallino said. “Everyone was able to get in and contribute.”

Senior Alexi Ortman exploded for 13 points in the first quarter while Mason Trudeau pitched in eight, Cole Baij added seven, Ian Popp had four and AJ Gallino notched a 3-pointer and Norway held a 38-3 lead after one.

It was more of the same in the second frame, as Ortman and Trudeau each poured in six points and the lead extended to 62-9 at halftime.

The Nimrods scored 15 points in the final two quarters while the Knights scored 22 with their starters on the bench to secure the 84-24 win.

Ortman led all scorers in the game with 20 points.

Norway also received contributions from Popp (11 points), Bryce Adams (6 points), Cole Baij (7 points), AJ Galino (9 points), Trudeau (17 points), Maddex Burklund (11 points), Kaleb LaPine (2 points) and Noah Person (1 point).

Norway now turns its attention to the District 99 championship game, today, against Forest Park at 6 p.m. at Norway High School.

The Trojans beat the Knights in Norway on Jan. 4, 59-47. Norway got its revenge on Feb. 13 after it beat Forest Park, 62-57, in Crystal Falls.

TROJANS 66, NORDICS 50

FELCH — Gaven Rintala recorded five 3-pointers, Vic Giuliani added 14 points and Kevin Giuliani notched 12 as the Forest Park boys varsity basketball team toppled North Dickinson, 66-50, in MHSAA Division 4 District 99 action on Wednesday in Felch Township.

The Trojans head to Norway today for the District 99 championship at 6 p.m. Forest Park beat the Knights in Norway on Jan. 4, 59-47. Norway got its revenge on Feb. 13 after it beat the Trojans, 62-57, in Crystal Falls.

Rintala recorded four of his 3-pointers in the first two quarters as Forest Park took a 30-19 lead into halftime.

Ty King came to life for the Nordics in the second half, scoring 15 points, however, it wasn’t enough to propel North Dickinson ahead of its Skyline Central Conference foes.

Rintala led all scorers with 20 points.

Forest Park also received contributions from Grayson Sundell (6 points), Isaiah Tarter (6 points), Felix Quevedo (2 points), Matt Showers (6 points) and Dax Huuki (5 points).

North Dickinson received contributions from King (18 points), Trenton Kramer (7 points), Brady Jungwirth (13 points) and Spencer Kramer (12 points).