GLADSTONE — Iron Mountain continued its red hot start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 75-34 win over Gladstone Tuesday night.

“It’s our first road game of the year, and we know Gladstone is young trying to feel its way through the early part of the season,” Mountaineers coach Bucky Johnson said. “Our first two games we handled the teams pretty effectively. Tonight was more of a challenge, and we didn’t press.”

The Mountaineers (3-0) entered their third game of the season with a pair of massive wins under their belts. IM jumped to a 27-2 first quarter lead in a 72-22 win over West Iron County on Dec. 6 and scored the first 20 points in 210 seconds to claim an 82-26 win over Manistique on Monday.

But this game proved to be a different challenge. It was the Mountaineers’ first road game and tfirst back-to-back games of the season.

In the end, it didn’t make a difference.

While Gladstone drew first blood with a jumper from junior Teagan Reynolds at the top of the key, IM clapped back. And in a big way.

The Mountaineers began to find momentum on both sides of the floor. With several good looks not dropping for the Braves (1-2), IM surged with a 17-0 run before a layup from senior Evan Woelffer made the deficit 17-4, later turning to 18-4 after 8 minutes.

IM stayed hot in the second, using a 12-0 run to open a 30-6 lead.

Gladstone sophomore Lonnie Davey connected with a runner and a pair of free throws to go on a 4-2 run of his own, but it was nowhere near enough to get the purple and white out of the hole.

The Mountaineers closed the second frame on a 13-3 run, featuring seven of the 20 first half points from IM senior Oskar Kangas to take a 43-11 lead into intermission.

“I have a mature team. And they’re hungry,” Johnson said. “They’ve been in a lot of situations over the years. We’ll just keep challenging them (and see) what we can do to get better. It’s a work in progress, and we’re striving to get better every practice and every game.”

Monday’s game marked the return of Gladstone junior Owen Gereau. He missed the first two games of the season for Gladstone due to an upper body injury sustained during football season.

The Mountaineers host Norway, fresh off a 61-51 win over Escanaba, at 6:15 p.m. Friday. The Braves travel to face Manistique today.

BADGERS 42, CAVALIERS 40

MARINETTE, Wis. — The Niagara boys varsity basketball team continued its ascent up the Marinette & Oconto Conference standings on Tuesday as it narrowly escaped Marinette, Wis., with a 42-40 win over St. Thomas Aquinas Academy.

Badgers’ senior Tommy Martin had four points in the first half and they took a 21-11 lead into the locker room.

The Cavaliers found their footing in the second half and outscored Niagara 29-21 in the final frame.

However, it wasn’t enough to topple the Badgers as they moved to 3-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

As a unit, the Badgers shot 4 for 10 from the free throw line.

STAA’s Tegan Anderson led all scorers in the contest with 19 points.

Martin and Gavin Neuens led the way for Niagara in scoring with 12 points apiece.

The Badgers also received contributions from Alex Tripp (4 points), Easton Holmes (5 points) and Cameron Schiefelbein (9 points).

Niagara is back home on Friday against Lena.

TROJANS 76, PANTHERS 41

CRYSTAL FALLS — After ending the fall sports season by hoisting the MHSAA 8-player Division 2 state title trophy, the Forest Park boys basketball team is continuing that success on the hardwood.

After opening their season with a 65-25 road win over West Iron County on Monday, the Trojans (2-0) eviscerated Ewen-Trout Creek (2-3) on Tuesday, en rout to a 76-41 win in Crystal Falls.

Junior Vic Giuliani led the Trojans in scoring with 24 points. He also recorded nine rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Forest Park also received contributions from Noah Starr (1 assist), Dietrich Rasner (1 rebound, 2 assists), Trent Kannich (4 points, 1 rebound), Izaiah Tarter (4 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal), Dax Huuki (5 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals), David McKissack (4 rebounds), Scotty Wagner (4 points, 2 rebounds), Matthew Showers (6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals), Kyle Heckman (1 point, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal), Aiden Waldo (2 points, 1 assist), Eli Brzonowski (3 points, 1 rebound) and Kevin Giuliani (23 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block).

On Monday, against West Iron, Vic Giuliani led the team in scoring with 20 points.

The Trojans also received contributions from Kevin Giuliani (17 points), Tarter (8 points), Huuki (4 points), McKissack (2 points), Showers (2 points), Heckman (2 points), Waldo (7 points) and Brzonowski (3 points).

Forest Park heads back out on the road on Friday to face Rapid River.

NORDICS 72, WOLVERINES 42

FELCH TOWNSHIP — After falling to Norway in overtime, the North Dickinson boys basketball team win streak is now at three games as it took down Mid Peninsula, 72-42, on Tuesday in the Carl F. Lemin Gymnasium.

“We had some balanced scoring,” Nordics’ head coach Chris Mattson said. “We did what we needed to do offensively.”

The Nordics (4-1) scored 26 points in the first and nine in the second quarter to take a 35-19 lead into halftime.

The Wolverines (0-1) scored 25 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to take down North Dickinson.

Spencer Kramer led the way for the Nordics’ offense with 18 points.

North Dickinson also received contributions from Ty King (17 points), Lucas Steinbrecher (7 points), Trenton Kramer (8 points), Tyler Fleming (11 points), Mason Anderson (5 points), Mauricio Mora (3 points), David Madigan (2 points) and Mason Florenski (1 point).

The Nordics head to Munising on Friday.

Daily News sports editor Sean Chase contributed to this report.