ELY— The Timberwolves are in a sweet spot after back-to-back wins this past week, lifting their record to 13-4.
Playing on home hardwood Monday night, the Wolves took command of the Huskies as senior Grace LaTourell poured in 28 points and classmate Sarah Visser set a new school record for steals in a 61-24 romp.
The Wolves had a good first half, taking a 29-16 lead into the break, but it was the second frame that really told the tale as Ely outscored Bigfork 32-8. “Our man defense was electric,” said Head Coach Max Gantt, who noted that none of Bigfork’s heavy hitters made it to double digits. “There was great team communication, and we did a great job moving our feet. We did a great job of frustrating the other team and taking away the things that they do well.”
With her 28 points, LaTourell outscored the entire Bigfork squad singlehandedly and she had plenty of help from the rest of her team. Hannah Penke, who is back in the lineup for the Wolves, added eight points while Clare Thomas posted seven points.
Visser notched an impressive double-double, with 17 rebounds, including 11 on offense, and that record-setting 12 steals.
Playing at International Falls last Thursday, the Wolves easily outpaced the Broncos 72-45. “It wasn’t our best game but it was a solid win on the road,” said Gantt. LaTourell again led the way offensively with 22 points, while Hannah Penke added 16 and Audrey Kallberg added 13. A total of nine Ely players put points on the board, making it an all-around strong performance.
“We’re right where we feel we should be,” said Gantt. “We’re still getting better, we’re having fun and we’re working really hard!”
The Wolves host Moose Lake on Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. start and they’ll stay home next week, hosting Nashwauk-Keewatin on Monday.