Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By JASON JUNO
Ironwood — Gogebic started 2025 right, with wins at Mesabi, 67-36, last week and at home over Central Lakes, 53-42, Saturday.
The Samsons have won three straight overall with a win over Minnesota State CTC to end 2024.
“Anytime you can string a couple together, it’s a huge confidence boost for the team,” GCC coach Denver Sharow said. “To start the second half of the season on a three-game run — huge, huge. Just watching them play at a different level is great. They’re starting to come together and get that camaraderie and confidence in each other. It’s just starting to flow a little bit better.”
The Samsons outscored Central Lakes 18-6 in the second quarter to take a 26-17 lead into halftime. The Raiders kept it close in the second half, cutting the margin to five points twice in the third quarter and to four two times in the fourth. Kate Borseth hit a 3 with 2:24 left to put Gogebic ahead by a more comfortable 10 points, 52-42.
“Our defense, I thought, was outstanding,” Sharrow said. “The way we switched on screens, starting to box out a lot better. They have (Chesney Phillipp), good 6-2, 6-3, tough to deal with on the inside. Game plan was to keep her off the glass and our bigs did a great job of that.”
One of them was Sydney Saari.
“Where she has come from the beginning of the season to now is incredible,” Sharrow said. “She has guard skills in a big body. Our game plan was to bring them out, make them step out, she’s a great stretch 4 for us, she hits shots, she’s a good passer, good rebounder.
“Lilly Johnson off the bench as well, she played incredibly tonight. When she steps in and gets us a couple good buckets and plays stellar defense, it makes us a pretty nice team.”
Borseth and Melissa DiGiorgio led the Samsons with 14 points.
DiGiorgio and Annabelle Besonen both grabbed nine rebounds for the Samsons.
Chesney Phillipp led Central Lakes (9-6) with 17 points.
The Samsons dominated Mesabi last week with another big second quarter. They outscored Mesabi 17-4 to take a 25-9 lead and they kept expanding it from there with a 50-23 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
RaeLynn Robinson led the Samsons with 14 points in that game. Brooke Stanislawski scored 12.
DiGiorgio totaled 12 points, 15 rebounds and seven steals; 11 of those boards were offensive.
“She is capable of that every night, she is really an incredible athlete,” Sharrow said. “That’s where she makes her money on the basketball court, crashing glass, putbacks. And if she’s hitting shots, she’s going to have an outstanding game.”
GCC (4-9) was to host Itasca Wednesday night with Northland CTC coming to Ironwood Saturday.
Saturday
Central Lakes — Constance Bowstring 1, Reese Hartl 10, Chesney Phillipp 17, Cate Travis 2, Tylicia Graves-Desjarlait 2, Natalie Eckhoff 2, Alyssa Wright 8. FTs: 5-14. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Hartl 1.
Gogebic — Kate Borseth 14, Annabelle Besonen 5, Sydney Saari 9, Melissa DiGiorgio 14, RaeLynn Robinson 3, Brooke Stanislawski 3, Lilly Johnson 5. FTs: 19-24. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: Robinson. 3-pointers: DiGiorgio 2, Saari 1, Besonen 1, Borseth 1, Johnson 1.
Central Lakes 11 17 35 42
Gogebic 8 26 42 53
Wednesday, Jan. 8
GCC — Kate Borseth 6, Annabelle Besonen 4, Sydney Saari 8, Melissa DiGiorgio 12, RaeLynn Robinson 14, Brooke Stanislawski 12, Gracie Kleikamp 5, Lilly Johnson 6. FTs: 7-13. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Borseth 2, Stanislawski 2, Johnson 2, Kleikamp 1, DiGiorgio 1.
Mesabi — Egypt Painte 3, Katie Peck 2, Hannah Edwards 6, Allie Bittmann 2, Suzy Aubrey 19, Gabby Lira 4. FTs: 5-9. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Aubrey 5.
GCC 8 25 50 67
Mesabi 5 9 23 36