ELY- The Rangers showed no mercy for the host Timberwolves here on Monday night, as they handed Ely a good old-fashioned shellacking, 90-27.
The Wolves struggled to secure the ball, allowing Mt. Iron-Buhl to score almost at will. The Rangers forced Ely into 34 turnovers on the night in a highly physical contest.
“We hope to be able to play like that as we progress and get better,” said Head Coach Max Gantt.
Bright spots were few for Ely, but Grace Latourell had a hot hand from beyond the arc, connecting on three treys on her way to a team-leading 12 points. Rachel Coughlin added eight points and Sarah Visser added five.
“Our goal is to challenge Mt. Iron-Buhl in the future,” said Gantt. “It’s a big-goal but one that is out there.”
Monday’s loss came on the heels of last Thursday’s disappointing outcome in Eveleth. That contest was closer and much more competitive, but the Wolves still lost, 58-44. Turnovers again proved costly for Ely, although they seemed to improve their play in the second half.
“We played well in spurts, but their size was tough for us,” said Gantt.
Eveleth-Gilbert’s Elli Jankila was unstoppable, scoring 24 points. Latourell was the leading scorer for the Timberwolves with 13 points, while Taylor Gibney and Katrina Seliskar each added six points. Rachel Coughlin added nine rebounds.