Luoma, Hematites Hold Off Braves For Road Win

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and hear post-game comments from Ishpeming's Caden Luoma and Gladstone Coach Colin Immel.

GLADSTONE---Caden Luoma scored 18 points to lead the Ishpeming Hematites to a 55-46 win over the Gladstone Braves Tuesday night in Gladstone.

The Hematites held the Braves to just 16 points in the first half, and then withstood a Gladstone comeback attempt in the fourth quarter.

"A lot od hard work on defense," Luoma said. "There's times when our shots weren't falling, but we eventually got it going. A lot of good defense kept us in the game."

Gladstone has been notorious for starting slow, and the Braves did that again in the first half, falling behind, 25-16, at halftime, and 37-25, late in the third quarter.

But, also just like so many other games so far this season, the Braves didn't roll over and made a push.

A long pass from Kaden Gibbs to Drake Johnson for a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter gave the Braves a spark, and then Gibbs scored two straight baskets.

The first came after Johnson ripped down a rebound at one end, springing Gibbs for a drive into the paint for the basket. Then, after another Hematite miss, Gibbs was sprung for another hoop in the paint. All of a sudden, Ishpeming's lead was down to 39-36 with still more than four minutes left to play. The Hematites called time out.

"We just had to calm down," Luoma said. "We had to get focused in, and just play Hematite basketball. Lot of defense, be physical, be very gritty."

The Hematites got a big boost when they worked the ball into the corner and Griffin Argall nailed a three-pointer while being fouled. He missed the "and-one" foul shot, but they got the rebound and put-back for a basket and another "and-one" chance.

Ishpeming missed that free throw, too, but it was a 9-0 run that made it 48-36.

Speaking of free throws, the Braves had the Hematites in severe foul trouble for the final two minutes of the third quarter and for all of the fourth quarter. Gladstone got to the line, but could not make any in the double bonus situation, at one point, missing eight in a row.

Gladstone finished shooting only 7-of-21 from the foul line, or 33-percent.

"We had them playing our game when we started coming back, playing our tempo," Gladstone Coach Colin Immel said. "We started pushing a little more, and we started turning them over. Playing half-court 'D'. Once they started fouling us, we couldn't hit them (free throws). We lost our confidence. Obvously, the kids like to see the ball go through the hoop, and that gives them confidence. Once they start doing that, it works the other way around."

Gibbs led the Braves (5-6) with 18 points, matching Luoma's 18 points. Johnson chipped in nine points. Eli Berthaume contributed seven points.

Ishpeming (6-5) got 12 points from Hunter Smith and ten points from Hayden Hares.

Gladstone returns to action Friday night with a home game against Menominee.

"We're going to prepare for the press," Immel said. "They're going to play fast. They're going to play Menominee Basketball. Sam (Coach Larson) has built some good things down there. They lost their starting five (to graduation from last year's state finalist team), but they've also got some really talented kids who are coming up. If we play our defense, we'll make it a tough game."

Friday's game starts at 7:15 ET and will be broadcast live on the Voice of the Gladstone Braves, FM-93.5, AM-600, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.