IRON RIVER – Though they led by double figures nearly all game in their opening round district contest Monday night, the West Iron County Wykons began to feel some tension early in the fourth quarter when visiting Ironwood cut its deficit under 10.

Plus, the Wykons were in the midst of what has been a season-long bugaboo, their inability to score for long stretches of time.

But junior Cami Alexa, who battled foul trouble most of the night, buried a 3-pointer from the wing that put WIC up 28-16 with 6:15 left. And from there, the Wykons shook off their uncertainly and ran off 12 points in the next three minutes on their way to a 42-25 victory over the Red Devils in a MHSAA Division 3 District 65 clash.

With the win, West Iron (7-15) advances to face Calumet (9-11) on the road tonight.

“We haven’t had a lot of wins this year, and this was a good matchup for us,” WIC coach Eric Shamion said. “I thought we got a little tight in the second and third quarter, but in the fourth quarter, the press came alive and our outside shooting came alive and that was the difference in the ballgame.”

In a game in which the hoops must have looked like teacups, West Iron’s 15-4 run in the fourth quarter was a backbreaker for Ironwood (7-15).

“(Cami) was on the bench tonight in foul trouble, but we put her in and that shot was big,” Shamion said. “It really was. It gave us that cushion and the girls played a little more relaxed after that. And that’s when you play your best basketball, when you’re relaxed.

After Alexa’s bucket, Bristol Shamion followed with a layup and a 3-pointer, Grace Smith sank a triple and Lily De Sousa knocked down a 3-pointer and a free throw to lift the Wykons to a 40-20 lead with 3:09 left.

Before their outburst, the Wykons had gone nine minutes bridging the second and third quarter with only one point.

However, West Iron’s fullcourt trapping press and 2-3 halfcourt zone stymied the Red Devils and the Wykons stayed in front after grabbing a 14-3 lead after the first quarter.

Ironwood never settled in offensively and committed 18 turnovers and recorded just made seven field goals in the contest.

“I just thought we matched up really well with their ballhandlers,” Shamion said. “I thought we had a little more quickness, and I wanted their ballhandlers to make some decisions.

“And I thought our 2-3 bothered them. They couldn’t get easy looks and they were trying to get the ball inside and they never really got going.”

After the teams went scoreless over the first 1:49 of the game, Bristol Shamion ran off eight straight points to give the Wykons a lead they would never relinquish.

Ironwood’s Jaelyn Novascone got her team on the board with a jump hook with 3:33 to play in the opening period, but De Sousa sank two free throws, Smith recorded a steal and a layup and Eriana Sucholl scored off an assist by Lacey Shamion to put the Wykons in the driver’s seat.

Both teams went into a deep offensive slumber from there. West Iron won the second quarter 5-3 and Ironwood took the third 8-7 to trail 25-15 heading into the fourth.

Bristol Shamion led all scorers with 15 points. De Sousa followed with eight, Smith finished with seven and Sucholl posted five.

Akira Ruotsala led the Red Devils with 11 points.

West Iron will face a familiar opponent in the Copper Kings. Unfortunately for the Wykons, they did not fare well in the two regular-season matchups, losing 58-37 at Calumet on Feb. 12 and 57-28 at home on Feb. 26.

Eric Shamion knows what his team is in for and knows how they can compete better.

“We need to match the intensity that Calumet always plays with,” he said. “I just hope we don’t get to a point where we don’t score. We have to get to the free throw line and put points on the board, we have to make a few outside shots, we have to get a few putbacks from our bigs.

“So, we have to put the whole package together, but it’s the end of the season and it’s March, so it’s time.”

IRONWOOD – Novascone 3 0-0 6, Godfrey 0 5-6 5, Rubatt 1 0-0 3, Ruotsala 3 3-4 11, Nannu 0 0-2 0. Totals: 7 8-12 25. 3-point field goals: 3 (Ruotsala 2, Rubatt).

WEST IRON COUNTY – B. Shamion 6 2-2 15, De Sousa 1 5-6 8, Smith 3 0-0 7, Sucholl 1 3-6 5, Johnson 1 0-0 2, L. Shamion 1 0-0 2, Alexa 1 0-0 3. Totals: 14 10-14 42. 3-point field goals: 4 (B. Shamion, De Sousa, Smith, Alexa).