Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton’s Lane Laux drives in on Jeffers’ Levi Kinnunen (3) Tuesday at the Houghton High School gym.

HOUGHTON — It was senior night on the basketball court Tuesday night at the Houghton gym, and the Gremlins proved to be the senior team. The defeated a younger Jeffers squad, 67-36.

Among the Houghton seniors who were honored were: Isaiah Lawson, Luke Hill, Lane Laux, Latham Salmi and Tim Brown.

“They will be sorely missed,” said Gremlins coach Jared Lawson. “They are a special group having played together for multiple years. They have set the culture for our program with the time they put in. They lead by example, and it is shining off on our younger guys.”

The Gremlins shot out to a 17-12 lead in the first. The second quarter was about the same. The Gremlins poured in another 17 while the Jets sunk just nine. Houghton led, 34-21, at half.

The third quarter was the Gremlins’ best. Not only did they score 21 points, but something clicked, according to their coach.

“We came out in the third quarter and did really well,” said Jared. “We were locked in and hopefully we can stay that way for the remainder of the season.”

The Gremlins finished the fourth with a 31-point victory.

Despite the loss, Jets coach Mike Saari was not disappointed.

“We are getting better; we are just really young,” he said. The effort is there from the opening jump till the final buzzer. They stick with it and they always giving it there best. I will never fault them for that.”

With just one week to go in the regular season, Coach Lawson likes where his team is at but said that there is always room for improvement as the post season looms.

“We have to work on turnovers,” he stated. “If we turn the ball over, that will be taken advantage of by good teams. However, if we can make it a possession-for-possession game, then I like our chances with the shooters that we have on our bench.”

UP NEXT

The Gremlins will welcome the Iron Mountain Mountaineers to their home court on Thursday. The Jets will head to Ewen-Trout Creek that same night.