1,000 and countin’: Kangas hits 1,000 points, IM tops Knights
Boys Varsity Basketball
Posted on 12/18/2023
DEC 18, 2023
SEAN CHASE
Daily News Sports Editor
NORWAY — As the crowd piled into the gym at Norway High School on Friday, it seemed everyone knew Iron Mountain junior Oskar Kangas was on the cusp of history.
It took until the fourth quarter, but those in attendance watched as Kangas rose up from the left corner and drilled a 3-point shot to join the Mountaineers 1,000 point club.
“I started out kind of slow, I was getting kind of worried,” Kangas said. “But in the end, I knew as long as we won then I would be happy. I shot that corner three and I saw it kind of rattle a little bit. I was like, this might be my last opportunity, so I was praying, hoping it goes in. I saw it fall and it was a big sigh of relief.
“I’m just thankful for the team, without them none of this would have been possible.”
For Iron Mountain coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson, given the circumstances, it couldn’t have gone be
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Takin’ care of business: Mountaineers overwhelm host Wykons in rout
Boys Varsity Basketball
Posted on 12/11/2023
https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2023/12/takin-care-of-business-mountaineers-overwhelm-host-wykons-in-rout/
DEC 9, 2023
DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORTS
IRON RIVER — The Iron Mountain Mountaineers jumped out to a 30-4 lead after the first quarter against host West Iron County on Thursday and never looked back in their 91-18 rout of the Wykons in a WestPAC Conference game at Charles Greenlund Gymnasium.
Oskar Kangas scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the opening eight minutes, while Ian Marttila knocked three 3-pointers in the first quarter as Iron Mountain (3-0) left the Wykons (0-4) in the dust.
“We played good,” IM coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “Everybody scored.”
The Mountaineers, who led 55-6 at the halftime break, finished with five players in double figures. Reece Kangas wound up with 16 points, Evan Copley totaled 14 and both Kaden Sheldon and Marttila finished with 11.
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Slam Dunk: Mountaineers rout Miners, 61-39, for second win
Boys Varsity Basketball
Posted on 12/11/2023
https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2023/12/slam-dunk-mountaineers-rout-miners-61-39-for-second-win/
DEC 2, 2023
JERRY DEROCHE
Daily News Sportswriter
IRON MOUNTAIN — All coaches want their teams to improve game to game. While that is nearly impossible to do during the arduous three-month long regular season, the successful teams do build to a crescendo by the time the district tournaments begin.
Just two games in, Iron Mountain has begun that ascent. After defeating Gladstone in the opener in a low-scoring affair, the Mountaineers got untracked offensively Thursday night and routed Negaunee 61-39 in a West Pac Conference game at Mountaineer Gym.
It wasn’t just the 10 additional points the Mountaineers scored after beating Gladstone by eight on Monday.
It was the quicker start and the lightning transition game that Iron Mountain showcased in the second game.
Oskar Kangas scored 11 of his team’s 13 points in the opening eig
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Starting Strong: Mountaineers overcome Braves for season-opening 51-43 win
Boys Varsity Basketball
Posted on 12/11/2023
https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2023/11/starting-strong-mountaineers-overcome-braves-for-season-opening-51-43-win/
NOV 29, 2023
JERRY DEROCHE
Daily News Sports Writer
IRON MOUNTAIN — At the end of the first quarter of Monday’s boys basketball season opener between visiting Gladstone and Iron Mountain, the teams had combined for 14 points. At halftime, the score was 19-15.
Yes, there may have been some first-game rust and jitters that contributed to the low scoring, but the Braves and the Mountaineers set an early defensive physical tone to the contest, which as much as anything caused the offensive struggles.
The teams did break free a bit in the second half — Gladstone in the third quarter and Iron Mountain in the fourth — as the Mountaineers eventually ended up with a 51-43 victory at Mountaineer Gym.
Junior star Oskar Kangas led the way for the victors with 22 points, 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and three ass
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Hangin’ on: Mountaineers sneak past Modeltowners, 47-41
Girls Varsity Basketball
Posted on 12/11/2023
https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2023/12/hangin-on-mountaineers-sneak-past-modeltowners-47-41/
DEC 11, 2023
SEAN CHASE
Daily News Sports Editor
IRON MOUNTAIN — Looking to pick up its first win of the season, the Iron Mountain girls varsity basketball team welcomed West PAC foe Gwinn to Mountaineers Gym on Friday.
The Modeltowners (0-1, 0-1) tried to ruin the Mountaineers (1-1, 1-0) home-opener, but a strong fourth quarter propelled the home team to a 47-41 victory.
“It’s always nice to start the season winning on your home court,” IM coach Karen Ellis said. “That means a lot to the girls, means a lot to the program. So it was really exciting to be able to take home the win.”
With Gwinn losing players to graduation from last season, Ellis wanted to see how they would respond to pressure right out of the gate.
“We wanted to isolate their ball handlers with the press and slow down their of
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Off and running: Wykons defeat IM in first-game showcase
Girls Varsity Basketball
Updated on 12/11/2023
https://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2023/12/off-and-running-wykons-defeat-im-in-first-game-showcase/
DEC 7, 2023
JERRY DEROCHE
Daily News Sports Writer
IRON RIVER — Both the Iron Mountain and West Iron County girls varsity basketball teams entered their season-openers Tuesday night with noticeably different teams than they had in 2022-23.
The Mountaineers lost four starters to graduation from last year’s, while the Wykons lost three from their district-championship team.
With several players in different roles, plus some new varsity players in general, the game evolved as many first nights do. Surely, there were some mistakes — the teams combined for 41 turnovers, for example — but both clubs also showed some promise in the Wykons’ 47-40 WestPAC Conference victory at Charles Greenlund Gymnasium.
“Some of us haven’t really played together as much because we have a lot of new bodies on th
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