Hot Springs beat Noxon in sizzling overtime

HOT SPRINGS – The Savage Heat played a nail-biter of a game against the Noxon Red Devils. Both teams were neck and neck until the very end Friday night.

Noxon put up the first points of the game when Grant Fitchett took the ball to the hole. Red Devil Oliver Grupenhoff followed suit by rebounding the ball and scoring, making it 7-6 with four minutes left in the first quarter. Grupenhoff also had some impressive mid-air blocks in the first.

Hot Springs matched the Red Devil intensity and a last second three-pointer by Tanner Tammaro left Noxon trailing by a single point going into the second.

Hot Springs just barely out-shot Noxon in the second 13 points to 10 points. The half time score was 24-20 Hot Springs.

In the third quarter the Red Devils pulled ahead of the Savage Heat. Noxon’s Fitchett and Cory Tessier both had three-pointers. Savage Heat Grupenhoff and Zach Osborne scored multiple baskets resulting in a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Noxon Red Devils held the lead in the fourth quarter up until the last two minutes of the game. Riley Fisher played a part by earning another thee-pointer for the Red Devils. Tessier and Tanner Tammaro also contributed by making their foul shots.

Despite Noxon’s work, a last minute surge from Hot Springs tied things up and the boys were forced into overtime.

In the end there could only be one winner and Hot Springs was the victor with a final score of 59-55.

Head Coach Ricky DePoe was thrilled with the positive outcome.

“It was a good win for us,” he said. “In the past we have not been so lucky with those close games, but this year we are handling the ball a lot better and coming out on the winning side,” he said.

The Savage Heat boys have been playing very well. They were victorious over two county rivals, Noxon and Plains, this week. Coach DePoe was very pleased with their performance.

Coach DePoe is proud with all of the boys, but he singled out Jarod White who had 23 points and sophomore Sam Hoff who had eight. Hoff kept a level head even when things were heating up.

“He had two three-pointers in the third quarter and those were a big help,” Coach DePoe said. “That was when we were struggling and it got us back in there. It was a great momentum change.”

The Savage Heat played well, but Coach DePoe said Noxon really did as well.

“It was pretty equal, even if you break scoring down into quarters,” he said. “It was a well battled game for both of us.”

Senior Oliver Grupenhoff led the Red Devils with 18 points and four rebounds. Tanner Tammaro, Cory Tessier and Grant Fitchett each had eight points. Tessier also had five rebounds, three of which were in overtime.

Both teams fought tooth and nail, even getting scrappy at times, but sportsmanship was never forgotten. Although the teams are fiercely competitive, they maintain a mutual respect.

Coach DePoe knows this victory does not guarantee continued success against Noxon later this season.

“Last year we beat them here and then lost to them down there so it is going to be a tough game. Winning at their place will be even more challenging than this game was,” he said.

The Noxon Red Devils lost their Saturday game against Arlee with a final score of 48-60.

Next week the Red Devils will take on Eureka and Two Eagle River at home.

The Savage Heat defeated their main county rivals, Plains Saturday night. The final score was 73-53 with Jarod White lighting it up with 37 points.

Noxon’s Head Coach Mike Tessier was unavailable at the time of press.