Kingsford’s Mathew Sundquist (1) and Gavin Trevillian (10) box out Marquette’s Zachary Leonard (10) for a rebound in Flivver Gym on Thursday. (Terry Raiche photo)

KINGSFORD — Big game. Big stakes. Big atmosphere. And ultimately a big performance.

Those were the components of Thursday’s rematch between Marquette and Kingsford, the top two boys basketball teams in Division 1-3 according to the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters latest poll.

With the Great Northern Conference championship on the line and each team riding a significant winning streak, the titans squared off at Flivver Gym. And after 32 minutes of play, the outcome was decisive.

With an 18-0 run bridging the first and second quarters, Kingsford carried a double-digit lead for most of the game and eventually vanquished Marquette 72-60.

The victory gave the Flivvers a share of the league title, extended their winning streak heading into the postseason to seven games and snapped the Sentinels’ run of 18 straight wins.

“The atmosphere was awesome, the stands were packed, it was physical, it was back-and-forth, it was everything you could ask for in a game,” said senior Gavin Grondin, who led his team with 26 points. “It was nice to see us come out on top.”

“We just talked the last couple of practices of staying in the fight with them because we know how talented they are and how fast they put up points,” added Flivver coach Ben Olsen.

“We just wanted to hopefully be there in the fourth quarter and have a chance to win it. And kudos to our kids. They followed the game plan to perfection and not only were we in it for four quarters, we controlled a lot of the four quarters.”

The teams played evenly for the first two and a half minutes but that was when the game changed. The Flivvers hit the Sentinels (19-3) with an 18-0 run to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 24-7 lead 30 seconds into the second quarter.

Grondin, Morgan Sleik and Owen Olkkonen each scored five points during the surge while Gavin Trevillian splashed the first of his three 3-pointers on the night.

And while the Sentinels cut their deficit to 11 at halftime and nine twice in the fourth quarter, they never recovered from that early Flivver blitz.

Offensively, the Flivvers (17-3) ran a ton of high ball screens with Sleik setting the pick and Grondin or junior point guard Jack Kreigl dribbling off the screen and attacking the lane.

Olsen shared the derivation of the strategy afterwards.

“I just felt like they struggled at times handling ball screens (so) I bought a Dusty May video about high ball screens, and we put it in,” Olsen said, referring to the University of Michigan’s head men’s basketball coach.

“It was the best $39 that I’ve spent.”

The lone difficulty Kingsford had after its first-half explosion was foul trouble. Sleik picked up his second foul with 6:01 left in the first half, Kreigl was whistled for his second about a minute later and Grondin picked up his third foul in the dying moments of the first half.

With those three in the game, Olsen felt his team was in control. While the first-year Flivver head coach felt confident that Grondin and Kreigl could play with the fouls, he thought that Sleik’s absence would change the game, so he did not insert his best big man into the game until the second half began.

“Morgan’s such a difference maker,” Olsen explained. “I probably could have put him back in in the first half, but I saw how well we played with him. I felt that if I could hold onto him until the second half, I felt good about our chances.”

Not that the Sentinels didn’t make a push. Marquette finished the first half on an 8-0 spurt that sliced Kingsford’s 19-point advantage to 36-25 at the half.

Six-foot-six senior Jacob MacPhee, a Michigan Tech signee, scored 10 of his team’s last 13 points and finished with a game-high 27.

MacPhee and Grondin, who is a Lake Superior State signee, matched up throughout the game, despite MacPhee’s significant size advantage and Grondin’s quickness advantage.

It was nothing new for the Flivver star.

“He’s always been good,” Grondin said of the Sentinel forward. “We’ve had a lot of battles since we were young and hopefully with him going to Tech and me going to Lake Superior, we will have many more to come.”

With their starting five back on the floor to start the third quarter, the Flivvers stabilized the game. Sleik started a 10-4 run with a putback and a free throw before Grondin sank a layup on a long pass ahead from Trevillian.

Grondin then followed with a jumper and another lay-in and Kingsford was back on top comfortably at 46-30.

While Grondin’s impact on the Flivvers is profound and obvious, Trevillian has a remarkable ability to make big plays in big moments, despite his often-pedestrian statistics.

“He’s always been that guy,” Grondin said. “He’s quiet but he’s going to bite you when it matters, that’s for sure. He’s always lurking around, and you don’t think he is.”

After the Sentinels cut the Flivver lead to 59-50 with 3:42 remaining, it was Trevillian who delivered the knockout blow with a 3-pointer to restore his team’s double-digit advantage with 2:56 to play.

“The joke with Trevillian is he’ll give us one 3 a game,” Olsen said with a smile. “But tonight, he gave us three. When he hit that third one, I turned to my assistant coaches and said, ‘Maybe this is our night.'”

It was and with the victory, the Flivvers head into MHSAA Division 2 District 33 play on an emotional high. Kingsford is set to host the winner of the Escanaba (8-13) versus Gladstone (6-15) in the semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The Flivvers swept four games from those teams, averaging a 29.5-point differential against the Eskymos and a 23.5 differential against the Braves.

SCORING

MARQUETTE – Fierstine 3 2-2 9, MacPhee 9 7-8 27, Wood 2 0-2 4, Richardson 1 4-6 6, Jurmu 2 4-5 8, Sager 1 0-0 3, McCollum 1 0-0 3. Totals: 19 17-23 60. Three-pointers: 5 (MacPhee 2, Fierstine, Sager, McCollum). Turnovers: 14.

KINGSFORD – Grondin 9 6-6 26, Sleik 5 5-10 15, Trevillian 4 0-0 11, Olkkonen 2 4-5 8, Kreigl 3 0-0 6, Buckley 2 0-0 4, Sundquist 1 0-0 2. Totals: 26 14-20 72. Three-pointers 5 (Trevillian 3, Grondin 2). Turnovers 8.

MOUNTAINEERS 66, GREMLINS 53

HOUGHTON — With a chance at another Mid Peninsula Conference title on the line, the Iron Mountain boys varsity basketball team took its talents north to Houghton on Thursday.

The Mountaineers (19-3, 11-1) ended their regular season in comeback fashion, picking up a 66-53 MPC win over the Gremlins (17-5, 8-3). It is their third-consecutive MPC and West PAC-East crown. They also won both in 2023 and 2024.

“It was a hard fought game,” IM head coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “We were behind by three at the half and the kids played very good in the second half. Three peating as West-Pac East champs and MPC champs are outstanding accomplishments. Now getting ready for the tournament.”

Iron Mountain opened the first quarter on a roll. It made three 3-pointers as a unit, with senior Oskar Kangas’ seven points leading the way. The Mountaineers led 17-11 entering the second.

Kangas racked up seven points in the second while seniors Ian Marttila and Evan Copley each added two.

However, it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Gremlins. They scored 20 points in the frame and took a 31-28 advantage into the break.

The third quarter was all Kangas. He scored 12 points over eight minutes and Copley pitched in a 3-pointer, as Iron Mountain took a three-point advantage into the final frame.

Houghton scored nine points in the final quarter, the Mountaineers tallied 19. Kangas had six while sophomore Brayden Kassin added eight.

Kangas led all scorers in the game with 32 points. In the past two games, he has scored 71 points.

Iron Mountain also received contributions from Gerald Sampoll-Torres (7 points), Marttila (6 points), Copley (12 points), Kassin (8 points) and Aiden Ellis (2 points).

Now the Mountaineers turn their attention to the MHSAA Division 3 playoffs. They’re off until Wednesday when they face the winner of Gwinn and Bark River-Harris’ District 66 first round matchup.

TROJANS 83, PURPLE HORNETS 59

CRYSTAL FALLS — With the Skyline Central Conference title already in hand, the Forest Park boys varsity basketball team bounced back.

Earlier in the week, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 4 fell to Marquette. On Thursday, the Trojans (20-2, 8-0) took out their frustration on L’Anse (9-12, 4-6) in Crystal Falls.

Forest Park led the entire way and easily picked up an 83-59 non conference win.

On senior night, senior Kevin Giulani led all scorers in the contest with 21 points. He also recorded seven rebounds and a steal.

The Trojans scored 29 points in the first and 22 in the second quarter, building a 51-22 advantage at halftime.

Forest Park kept its foot on the gas in the third, winning the scoring battle, 20-13. It was over from there.

The Trojans received contributions from Noah Starr (3 points, 1 steal), Dietrich Rasner (2 points, 2 rebounds), Gabe Quevedo (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal), Trent Kannich (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist), Izaiah Tarter (11 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals), Dax Huuki (5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists), Matthew Showers (11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Aiden Waldo (2 assists), Vic Giulani (15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) and Eli Brzonowski (2 points, 2 rebounds).

Forest Park is off until Wednesday, when it faces the winner of Monday’s MHSAA Division 4 District 100 first round matchup between Stephenson and Hannahville.

WOLVERINES 64, BADGERS 48

NIAGARA, Wis. — Hosting the top team in the Marinette & Oconto Conference, the Niagara boys varsity basketball team had a chance to move up the conference rankings.

However, Crivitz showed why it has been the No. 1 M&O team on Thursday.

The Wolverines (15-7, 13-1) dominated the Badgers (16-6, 11-4) in the second half and picked up a 64-48 victory.

Brayden Bartels led Niagara’s offense in the first half with 20 points. Easton Holmes added four points and Dante Stachowicz tallied two. As a result, the Badgers took a 26-25 lead into halftime.

Niagara did a better job of distributing the offensive load in the second half. Five players recorded points in the quarter, with Bartels adding 10.

However, Crivitz rallied in the final 18 minutes to secure the win.

The Badgers received contributions from Alex Tripp (2 points), Stachowicz (7 points), Holmes (7 points), Bartels (30 points) and Cameron Schiefelbein (2 points).

Niagara has two games left in its regular season slate. It is in Oneida, Wis., on Monday and then it returns home on Thursday against Goodman/Pembine.

KNIGHTS 64, COUGARS 30

NORWAY — All season long, the Norway boys varsity basketball team has leaned on its seniors.

On Thursday, the Knights (17-5, 6-2) honored their four seniors prior to their contest with Superior Central (9-13, 2-0). Then they dominated the Cougars. Senior AJ Gallino led the way with 21 points.

“Hats off to our seniors on senior night,” Norway head coach Jeff Gallino said. “They have been a pleasure to coach over the years. They are smart, hardworking young men that will be successful in their future endeavors. We are now 0-0 and our focus is on Wednesday.”

The seniors led the charge in the first quarter.

Mason Trudeau scored nine points, AJ Gallino pitched in eight and Cole Baij added four. The Knights held Superior Central to eight points in the frame and took a 21-8 lead into the second.

AJ Gallino connected on two 3-pointers in the next quarter. Baij added eight points and Trudeau tallied five as the lead ballooned to 22 points at halftime.

The pace slowed down in the third quarter. However, the Knights still outscored the Cougars, 11-9. Norway led 52-28 entering the fourth.

The Knights turned up the defensive pressure in the final frame, holding Superior Central to two points. Trudeau led the way with four for the home team and they locked up the win.

Norway received contributions from Bryce Adams (4 points), Baij (14 points), Trudeau (20 points), Elliott Kraemer (1 point), Kaleb LaPine (2 points) and Ethan Alessandroni (2 points).

The Knights are off until Wednesday, when they face the winner of Monday’s MHSAA Division 4 District 100 first round matchup between North Central and Carney-Nadeau.

Daily News sports editor Sean Chase contributed to this report.