LITTLEFORK— The Timberwolves notched one of their biggest routs in years here, Jan. 4, as they pummeled Littlefork-Big Falls 79-15. The Vikings were playing without their leading scorer, but it likely made little difference as Ely dominated from the opening jump. “We took care of business,” said Ely Head Coach Max Gantt. “We played solid defense and moved the ball for open looks on offense. It felt good to shake some rust off and get back playing after break.”
All nine of the Ely players who saw action scored points in the game. Madeline Perry had a big night, pouring in 22 of those points while Madeline Kallberg added 17 and Grace LaTourell tallied ten.
The Wolves split their contests during their holiday tournament, held Dec. 27 and 28. Madison Rohr had a big day against Deer River, notching 20 points and seven rebounds to help lead Ely to a 74-63 win over Deer River. Perry was right behind with 19 points and four assists, while LaTourell added 15 points. Sarah Visser had a huge day, as well, notching 18 boards along with seven points, five assists, and six steals. “We shot the ball well and took advantage of our fast break opportunities, especially after we broke their pressure,” said Gantt.
In the tournament’s second game, Ely struggled against South Ridge’s intense man-to-man defense, falling 69-38. Even so, Gantt saw some things that he liked in his team’s efforts, including limiting turnovers despite the Panthers’ aggressive play. “They are one of the better teams in the section,” Gantt added. “We got beat up in the first half, but we only lost the second half by eight. We want to be able to compete with teams like that, so that second half was really nice to see.”
LaTourell led Ely’s scoring effort, with 16 points. Visser added ten rebounds.
The Wolves’ scheduled Monday contest with Cherry was postponed, with no makeup date immediately available. They were set to visit Northeast Range on Thursday.