Kingsford freshman Aubrie Moore (12) drives to the basket on a fast break and powers up a layup while Escanaba’s Clara Braun (21) and Katey Lamb (24) try to slow her momentum on Thursday at Flivver Gym. (Terry Raiche photo)

KINGSFORD — The Great Northern U.P. Conference has become known for tightly contested battles. At least, that was the case on Thursday when the Kingsford girls varsity basketball team welcomed Escanaba to Flivver Gym.

The Eskymos gave the Flivvers everything they could handle through four quarters and overtime, but it wasn’t enough to topple Kingsford as it picked up a 58-53 GNC win.

“It wasn’t a pretty game at all,” Kingsford head coach Ginger Moore said. “It was a battle. There were a lot of mistakes on both ends. Escanaba, they’re tough. They’re tall, and they’re physically imposing. Their post players were much more effective compared to the first time we played them (in Escanaba). … When the going gets tough, it’s really easy to run the other way. We lose our lead, and now we’re in a dog fight. It would have been really easy for them to quit. But we didn’t. We stayed in the fight.”

Although the Eskymos didn’t pick up the win, head coach Tracy Hudson is happy with his team’s resolve.

“I thought the big difference was that first quarter,” Hudson said. “They came out and buried us. … We were able to get it to overtime, but they executed a little better in overtime than we did. It was a great basketball game. I was very proud of my girls and thought the Kingsford girls played their hearts out.

“It was probably one of the best girls’ basketball games in the U.P., and it just turned out that way.”

With senior Anna Bortolini out due to a wrist injury, the Flivvers’ lineup looked different from their 42-29 win in Escanaba on Dec. 20. However, that didn’t slow them down in the first quarter.

Sophomore Alyvia Kowalski opened the scoring with a deep mid-range jumper from the left wing and a layup, putting Kingsford ahead 4-0. Cassie Olson and Aubrie Moore each added two points to the lead, and three minutes into the contest, Escanaba trailed 8-0.

Eskymos junior Landry Bray momentarily halted the Flivvers’ run with a jump shot for the left elbow. Then, Kowalski began to take over. She scored five points over the next minute and a half, extending the lead to 13-2.

Kingsford senior Abby Przelakowski added four points in the frame and Escanaba trailed 17-4 entering the second quarter.

“I was very pleased with our girls’ ability to execute what we were looking to do,” coach Moore said. “And then the wheels kind of fell off. But again, I think things happen as they’re supposed to, right? And, I mean, it’s a test. I told them, ‘The biggest thing I take out of this game is that we’re fighters.'”

In the second quarter, the Eskymos leaned on their 1-3-1 defense, and slowly but surely, the tide changed in their favor.

“We said, ‘Hey, our efforts got to be better. They’re beating us to the loose balls. They’re getting offensive rebounds. Our efforts got to be better.’ Because it was probably the worst first quarter we’ve had, but they had a lot to do with that,” Hudson said. “They’re a good defensive team. Their defense and our lack of execution, we were like in a hole.”

Escanaba senior Clara Braun opened the second frame with a straight-on 3-pointer, cutting the lead to 10. However, Aubrie Moore drained two free throws a few minutes later, pushing it back to 12.

That’s when the wheels fell off.

With Kowalski in foul trouble, Kingsford’s offense began to sputter. It wouldn’t score a basket for the next nine minutes.

Senior Grayson LaMarche scored six points in the second for the Eskymos, and at halftime, the Flivvers’ lead was down to four points.

Escanaba senior Katey Lamb buried a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, which senior Emerson Salo followed with a layup through contact. Suddenly, the Eskymos had their first lead of the game, 22-21.

Trailing by three, Taylor Olsen grabbed a rebound and laid it in to stop the Kingsford slide. By the end of the third quarter, the game was tied at 27.

The Flivvers found their footing in the fourth as Aubrie Moore drained back-to-back threes to open the frame. With four minutes to play, they took a seven-point lead on a 3-pointer from Przeslakowski.

The Eskymos leaned on LaMarche, who hit two 3-pointers down the stretch to send it to overtime.

“I felt good pretty good about getting it into overtime,” Hudson said.

Aubrie Moore put Kingsford ahead with a baseline floater in the opening moments of overtime. She scored five points in the frame, and the Flivvers picked up the 45-38 win.

Ultimately, the game came down to free throws, and both teams struggled at the stripe. Kingsford finished 15 for 27 from the line, while Escanaba was 7 for 21. Each team made four 3-pointers.

LaMarche led all scorers in the contest with 18 points.

The Eskymos also received contributions from Salo (3 points), Braun (3 points), Lamb (12 points) and Bray (2 points).

Aubrie Moore led the way for the Flivvers with 17 points.

Kingsford also received contributions from Przeslakowski (9 points), Kowalski (10 points), Kailey Sundquist (2 points), Olsen (2 points) and Olson (5 points).

“I was on Kailey, and there were big plays she made down there that probably went unnoticed because she didn’t score,” coach Moore said.

Now, the Eskymos turn their attention to Monday when they welcome Menominee to town.

“Moving on to Menominee and we did a lot of positive things and we’ve got to concentrate on those,” Hudson said.

Kingsford will host Forest Park on Monday.

“I hope we can build off of this going into that game and really gain some confidence and come out victorious,” coach Moore said.

KNIGHTS 48, JETS 31

POWERS — With junior Lauren Adams sitting out with a concussion, the Norway girls varsity basketball team didn’t miss a beat on Thursday as it rolled over North Central, 48-31, in a non-conference road game.

Senior Mary Cavagnetto led the Knights (2-5, 0-1) with 11 points. She scored all six of their points in the first half.

However, Dalyn Otradovac was on a roll for the Jets (0-7, 0-1) in the first quarter.

She scored eight points in the frame and North Central took a 12-6 advantage after eight minutes.

Norway found its footing in the second quarter, holding the Jets to two points and piling up 23 points. Cavagnetto had five points, Paytan Carlson had eight and Lila Kleikamp pitched in four. The Knights led 29-14 at the break.

Kleikamp and Ashley Carlson each made two 3-pointers in the second half, and Norway held on for its second win in a row.

The Knights received contributions from Kleikamp (11 points), Kara Stanchina (2 points), Paytan Carlson (10 points), Ashley Carlson (6 points) and Anna Falk (8 points).

The Jets offense received contributions from Kate Linder (1 point), Addison Otradovac (10 points), D. Otradovac (11 points), Maycee Murray (5 points), Autumn Triest (2 points) and Natalie Willa (2 points).

North Central heads to Florence, Wis. on Tuesday to face the LadyCats while Norway is off to Stephenson for a Skyline Central Conference clash.

LADY THUNDERHAWKS 51, LADY BADGERS 38

NIAGARA, Wis. — The Niagara girls varsity basketball team had its hands full on Thursday as it looked to pick up a Marinette & Oconto Conference win over Oneida Nation (7-4, 3-3) in Niagara, Wis.

The Lady Badgers (7-6, 3-5) kept things close in the first half, but the Lady Thunderhawks were too much to handle and they easily locked up a 51-38 win.

Mallory Sanicki and Sydney Swanson led Niagara in the first half. Mallory Sanicki tallied nine points while Swanson added seven and the Lady Badgers entered halftime trailing 27-24.

Niagara’s offense struggled to find its footing in the second half, scoring 14 total points in the frame.

Oneida Nation scored 24 points in the frame.

Mallory Sanicki led Niagara with 15 points.

The Lady Badgers also received contributions from Bristol Sanicki (1 point), Peyton Neuens-Allred (5 points), Swanson (9 points), Alivia Kleikamp (6 points) and Rachael Walker (2 points).

Niagara returns to play on Friday in Gillett, Wis., against the Tigers.