DEER RIVER— It was a long bus ride back to Ely on Tuesday as the Timberwolves nursed a 99-49 shellacking here at the hands of the Warriors.
“It was ugly from the start for us as they shot extremely well and we turned the ball over too many times which led to many easy layup baskets for them,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “We struggled on both ends of the floor and Deer River took it to us.”
Ely’s Joey Bianco led scoring for Ely, with 18 points and six rebounds, while Harry Simons added ten points.
It was a different game entirely for the Wolves last Friday when they hosted Eveleth-Gilbert, yet the outcome was the same as they lost 66-57. Ely played a strong first half, building a 50-38 lead by the half. But a second-half, 18-point run by the Golden Bears turned the tide. “They shot the ball well in that stretch but we just got cold and lost the momentum,” said McDonald.
Simons led the way for Ely in the game, connecting for seven treys as he racked up 25 points on the night, along with seven rebounds. Joey Bianco had another good night as well, racking up 20 points, eight boards, and six assists.
The Timberwolves head to Aurora on Friday to take on Mesabi East. They’ll be back on home hardwood on Tuesday, when they’re set to host Lakeview Christian.