ANOTHER REGIONAL WIN: Norse Stop Samsons

IRONWOOD---The Bay College men’s basketball team stayed undefeated in regional games by beating the Gogebic Community College Samsons, 79-64, Wednesday night in Ironwood. The Norse set up a showdown with 20th ranked Dakota County Technical College on Saturday, a team that was ranked 16th in the country last week when the Norse upset them in Minnesota.

Against Gogebic, the Norse got a boost from Ryan Robinette in the first half as the Escanaba High School graduate knocked down a pair of triples and had a steal and basket to put the Norse up, 24-13. After Mitch Borseth closed the Samsons to within 27-21, Alfonzo Fields added a triple and he contributed a steal and layup to make it a 34-23 at halftime.

The Norse blew it open in the second half by outscoring the Samsons, 26-15, to make it a 61-38 game. Gogebic (3-17) made a run to close to within ten points on triples by Shamon Shinal and Tommy Libertoski, but they could get no closer over the final seven minutes of the game.

Fields led the Norse with 19 points, including a triple after a Samson three rimmed out that would have brought GCC to within seven points. Tyler Willette added 18 points (12 in the second half, including an “and-one” basket and foul).

Kobi Barnes scored 14 points (13 in the second half), and Ryan Robinette scored a dozen, all in the first half. The Samsons got 18 points from Shinal.

Borseth added 11 and Braydon Tomes scored nine for Gogebic.

Bay College improved to 14-6 on the season, and have won all of their regional away games. Now they come home to welcome Dakota County to Escanaba for a huge match-up on Saturday.

Should the Norse win Saturday, and beat GCC again in two weeks, they will get a bye and a home game in the NJCAA Region 13 tournament.

"We want a big crowd to come out and pack our gym," Norse Coach Matt Johnson said. "It's a big game, and it's going to be exciting and a lot of fun."

Saturday’s game starts at 3:00 and will be broadcast live on Mavericl 106.3 FM and on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos, hear Cade Contreras's halftime interview, and post-game comments from Coach Matt Johnson.