The Gogebic Women's Basketball Team started 2023 with a 59-47 victory over the Bay College Norse on Wednesday, January 11th in Ironwood. This was the first game for the Samsons since December 17th, and they needed time to get back into their rhythm.
The first quarter saw both teams struggling to score and although the score stayed close, both teams only scored 19 points total as the Norse finished the quarter up on GCC 10-9.
The Samsons took immediate control of the game in the second quarter. Kylee Hewitt scored to start the quarter on a nice move inside off the glass. Emily Nelson was fouled on the next Samson possession and hit both shots from the charity stripe and then she scored inside on the next two GCC possessions, going on a 6-0 run on her own. This put GCC up 17-10 until the Norse finally scored their first points of the quarter with 6:08 The Norse tried to cut into the lead and take the lead back, but the Samsons outscored the Norse 14-4 in the second quarter, giving GCC a 23-14 halftime lead.
The third quarter saw both teams trading baskets and the Samsons held on to the lead and stretched that lead to 10 points (32-22) after a 3-pointer from Ida Bengtsson with 3:08 left. The Norse responded and thanks to some hot shooting, were able to cut the GCC lead to 32-29 with two minutes left. GCC immediately fired back as Hanna Hoskin hit a 3-pointer, and Hewitt and Nelson drew back-to-back offensive fouls on the Norse. The charge Nelson took was pivotal as it was the fourth personal foul on Bay's top post player, Tianna Taylor. Despite Bengtsson picking up her third personal foul with 26.9 seconds left in the quarter, GCC finished the third quarter up by 6, 37-31.
The Norse got the fourth quarter going as Bay's Alyssa Cretton nailed a 3-pointer on their first possession. The Samsons responded as Nelson scored inside and was fouled. She made her free throw for three points the hard way. Bay countered as Emma Rutter hit a 3-pointer at the top of the key after a nice elevator screen. After a defensive stop, Bay came back down the court to score inside and bring the GCC lead to 1 (40-39) with 8:36 to go. The score stayed close and with 4:58 to go, Hewitt drew another charge on the Norse in the lane. Bay's bench was issued a technical foul after the offensive foul call and GCC's Bengtsson split the free throws for the technical foul, putting the Samsons up 46-41. Cretton hit a big 3-point shot on the next Bay possession, bringing the Norse within 2 points, but that was as close as they would get. Nelson got hot again and went on a 7-0 run by herself and GCC came away with a 59-47 victory.
Nelson led GCC with 23 points, Hewitt scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Bengtsson had 10 points and 8 rebounds and Phoenix Corbine had a solid defensive effort, finishing with 10 rebounds.
The Samsons are at home for their next game on Saturday, January 14th as they will face Minnesota North College-Rainy River at 1 pm.
