IRON RIVER – Despite losing top starter Ellie Hainault to an ankle junior shortly after the game started, the Houghton Gremlins overcame the setback by hitting nine 3-pointers on their way to a 69-48 victory Thursday over West Iron County in a West Pac Conference contest at Charles Greenlund Gymnasium.

Jacey Sleeman sank five of those triples and led Houghton with 23 points, while Lexi Burns, who replaced Hainault, connected on four 3-pointers and finished with 13 points.

Add the 22 points scored by junior Ruby Zawada and the Houghton (8-2) offense was too much for the Wykons to overcome.

“Houghton’s a really good team, they’re well-coached, they move the ball really well, and they shot it well,” WIC coach Eric Shamion said. “Because they move the ball so well and they screen, none of their girls ever stand still.

“I think poor communication on West Iron’s part ended up with open looks, and when you give kids that are accurate like they are, boy they really took advantage of it tonight.”

Burns hit three straight triples shortly after entering the game and Sleeman added one more to lift the UPSSA Division 1-3 third-ranked Gremlins to a 20-10 lead after one quarter.

The Wykons (2-6) held the Gremlins in check in the second quarter, but struggled offensively themselves with just seven points as Houghton held a 30-17 lead at the break.

Sophomore Bristol Shamion recorded a stick-back and a driving bucket in the quarter.

“I think at times we get stagnant on offense, and we want Bristol to do something with the ball and we wait for somebody else to move,” Coach Shamion said. “And that kills us.”

Houghton added to its lead in the third quarter, led by Sleeman’s three 3-pointers and Zawada’s three hoops from inside the arc.

Down 54-32 entering the fourth quarter, the Wykons showed some grit and outscored Houghton 16-15 to account for the final score.

Shamion scored eight of her team-high 20 points in the period, while Grace Smith, Kyle Erickson, Lacey Shamion and Eriana Sucholll all added a bucket in the fourth.

“I thought at times, we played good,” Coach Shamion said. “We didn’t play to West Iron’s standard yet, but we’re getting closer. And tonight, I give the girls credit, they never gave up, they never laid down, they competed with Houghton. And that’s something I wanted to see. I wanted to see a little fire in their eyes and I saw glimpses of it tonight.”

West Iron returns to action on Wednesday when they host Escanaba. The Wykons defeated the Eskymos 50-43 on Dec 17 for their last win.

HOUGHTON – Lawson 0 1-2 1, Zawada 10 2-6 22, Matson 2 0-0 4, Burns 4 1-2 13, Sleeman 7 4-5 23, Mattson 1 0-0 2, Rautiola 2 0-0 4. Totals: 26 8-15 69. 3-point field goals: 9 (Sleeman 5, Burns 4).

WEST IRON COUNTY – B. Shamion 9 1-2 20, De Sousa 1 0-0 3, Sucholl 3 2-3 8, Smith 2 0-0 4, L. Shamion 1 4-4 6, Erickson 1 1-4 3, Johnson 2 0-2 4. Totals: 19 8-15 48. 3-point field goals: 2 (B. Shamion, De Sousa).