To the victors go the spoils.
That’s the case when it comes to All-Iron Range Conference recognition, as the league champion Ely Timberwolves led the way this winter with three all-conference selections.
After winning 21 games and capturing the IRC title, Ely’s high school boys basketball team placed seniors Jack Davies and Drew Johnson as well as junior Wyatt Tedrick on the All-IRC team.
Another Timberwolf, sophomore Arturo Cameron, gained honorable mention.
The recognition came after the Wolves put together both a splendid and surprising year on the hardcourt, finishing 21-8 and reaching the Section 7A quarterfinals, where they lost a heartbreaking one-point game to Barnum.
Both Davies and Johnson were elevated to the 13-member All-IRC group after receiving honorable mention as juniors.
Both were potent scorers, with Davies scoring better than 2,400 points in a varsity career that started late in his seventh-grade season. He became the all-time leading scorer in Ely boys basketball history.
“Jack had just a great career here, ending up with 2,430 points and also setting a school record making 460 three-point shots,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “He really turned into a complete basketball player and was so good on both ends of the floor.”
For the season, Davies averaged 19 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, while draining 97 three-pointers.
Johnson, meanwhile, emerged as Ely’s top scorer this year, pouring in 21.9 points, per game and shooting better than 52 percent from the floor. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds an 4.5 assists per game and connected on 78 percent of his free throw attempts.
“Drew scored more points this year (632) than he did in his first three years on the varsity (562),” said McDonald. “He was good in every statistical category for us and became quite the offensive threat for us this year. He made six threes in each of his last three games and just more and more confidence as a shooter, and he also knew how to get to the free throw line.”
Tedrick emerged as a third scoring threat for the Wolves and scored 12.6 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and collecting 73 steals.
“Wyatt really came on for us this year and was at his best when he was attacking the basket,” said McDonald. “There were a couple games that he carried us on the offensive end and led us in hustle plays with his tremendous work ethic. He will be counted on to be an important part of our offense next season.”
League runner-up Deer River also placed three players on the All-IRC team (see box) and players from Two Harbors, Greenway, Chisholm, International Falls an and Mesabi East were also picked.
Picking up honorable mention was Cameron, who moved into the starting lineup early in the season and had a team-best eight rebounds per game.
“He got his first start in December and then never left the lineup,” said McDonald. “He led us in rebounding and was a great defender inside for us. We are hoping that his offensive game will develop more over the offseason and he can be more of a threat on that end.”
