Kingsford’s Alex Erickson (35) drives to the basket and through Escanaba’s Adam Prey (22) and Nick Garcia (10) for a layup on Friday in Flivver Gym. (Terry Raiche photo)

KINGSFORD — No one likes losing a basketball game but sometimes it helps teams refocus.

At least that was the case for the Kingsford boys varsity team on Thursday as it faced off with Escanaba (7-10, 1-5) in Flivver Gym.

After falling to Norway on a last-second, half-court heave earlier in the week, the Flivvers (11-3, 4-1) were raring to go as things got underway. They held control the entire way and picked up a 63-30 Great Northern U.P. Conference win over the Eskymos.

“After Tuesday, that’s what we’ve been talking about,” Kingsford head coach Ben Olsen said. “The kids, I thought, rebounded really well. In the middle of the second quarter, we kind of reverted back into helter-skelter. The first person who gets the ball shoots the shot. We want to play fast, but when it’s not working for us, we’ve got to be able to understand that, pull it back and run our offense.

“I thought we did a good job, from there on out of running the offense and being effective.”

While a loss like Kingsford’s against the Knights could set a team back, Olsen was proud of his team’s resolve.

“They do a good job of bouncing back,” Olsen said. “We’ve lost to Iron Mountain the last few years. The practices the next day were good. The practices after Norway were very high energy and energetic. Honestly, I feel like I felt more sorry for myself than the kids were for themselves.

“They did a great job of bouncing back and putting it behind them.”

Although Escanaba was on the wrong side of things Thursday night, head coach Tom Gereau took the loss in stride.

“They’re a good team, plain and simple,” Gereau said. “We put the effort in. But just like what’s been plaguing us, turnovers or we’re missing a lot of shots.”

The Flivvers opened the first quarter on a mission and senior Gavin Grondin was leading the charge. He tallied seven points in the first four minutes of play and they held a 12-3 lead.

The Eskymos took a timeout to stop the run, but it didn’t work.

Kingsford continued to roll, as Grondin scored 11 points in the frame. It led 23-7 after eight minutes.

“We’re capable of playing fast and scoring fast,” Olsen said.

Grondin buried a 3-pointer from the left corner a minute into the second quarter. Then, both teams hit a lull.

Flivvers’ senior Gavin Trevillian ended the drought with a layup, and the lead ballooned to 21 points.

Escanaba sophomore Hayven Sandoval-Nolde ended the scoreless streak with two minutes until halftime on a layup. However, the Eskymos entered halftime trailing 38-10.

“We were just talking about the same things,” Gereau said. “We’ve got to control the ball, and when you have the good looks, we’ve got to put them in the basket.”

The Eskymos heeded their coach’s advice and came out firing in the third.

Kingsford senior Morgan Sleik opened the scoring in the quarter with a layup, but Escanaba senior Nick Garcia immediately answered with a layup on the other end.

Both teams traded baskets down the stretch, but the Flivvers won the quarter and took a 53-21 lead into the fourth.

Kingsford kept its foot on the gas for the first two minutes of the frame, and Olsen emptied the bench.

“You always want to get everybody playing time, but when you’ve got seniors like Grondin, Trevillian, and Sleik, who’ve been in so many games, it’s tough to take them out,” Olsen said. “When we get up in games, and we’re able to get those younger guys in, that’s huge. They practice, too. They watch the film. I love it when I can get everyone in.

“It’s good moral building.”

Grondin led all scorers in the contest with 26 points. He also tallied three rebounds and three assists.

The Flivvers received contributions from Owen Olkkonen (2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), Jack Kriegl (5 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds), Trevillian (9 points, 4 rebounds), Sleik (12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist), Jett Buckley (7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) and Alexander Erickson (2 points, 1 assist).

Escanaba received offensive contributions from Garcia (5 points), A.J. Schroeder (2 points), Adam Prey (7 points), Brayden Jupe (2 points), Alex Morgan (4 points), Taylor Asgaard (3 points) and Sandoval-Nolde (7 points).

Both teams return to play on Tuesday. Escanaba looks to rebound from the loss as it heads to Munising to face the Mustangs, while Kingsford is at home against West Iron County.

“Keep your heads up and keep working together,” Gereau said. “That’s all you can do. It’s a tough GNC. It’s a tough schedule, and we’re kind of in the midst of that. You’ve got to keep grinding and keep working hard.”

KNIGHTS 65, EAGLES 64

NORWAY — It was an eventful week for the Norway boys varsity basketball team.

On Tuesday, the Knights (12-4, 3-1) beat Kingsford on a last-second 3-pointer. They ended the week with another thriller, picking up a 65-64 Skyline Central Conference win over Stephenson (10-6, 1-4) on Friday in Norway.

Norway started the game slow offensively, scoring nine points in the first. Junior Anthony Pineda led the Knights with four points in the frame. The Eagles took a 14-9 lead after eight minutes.

The tides turned in the second quarter. Norway seniors Cole Baij and Mason Trudeau carried the offensive load. Trudeau led the way with 13 points, Baij added 10 and the Knights led 32-26 at halftime.

Trudeau carried that momentum into the third quarter, scoring 11 points. Baij added two 3-pointers, and senior Bryce Adams added a three. As a result, the Norway lead grew to 11 points, entering the fourth.

Things tightened up in the final frame. Stephenson scored 21 points in eight minutes. However, the Eagles missed a game-tying free throw, and they lost.

Trudeau led all scorers in the contest with 30 points. He was 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.

Norway received contributions from AJ Gallino (2 points), Adams (6 points), Baij (19 points) and Pineda (8 points).

The Knights welcome Carney-Nadeau to town on Tuesday.

MOUNTAINEERS 68, HEMATITES 45

REPUBLIC — With the playoffs looming, Iron Mountain senior Oskar Kangas is raising his game.

On Friday, Kangas continued his impressive scoring, racking up 37 points against Ishpeming (7-8, 5-4) as the Mountaineers (13-2, 6-1) picked up a 68-45 West PAC-East win in Republic.

Iron Mountain has won eight games in a row.

“The game was played in Republic because Ishpeming and Republic co-op,” Iron Mountain head coach Harvey “Bucky” Johnson said. “They had a hot start shooting the ball, and then we played better defense in the second. They did the same in the third quarter, with five guys hitting shots.

“It was a good road win. Luoma is a tough player.”

Senior Caden Luoma led the Hematites with nine points in the first. However, Kangas opened the quarter locked in from long range. He knocked down three 3-pointers in the frame, senior Gerald Sampoll-Torres added four points and Iron Mountain took a 19-17 lead.

Ishpeming’s offense struggled in the second, scoring seven points. The Mountaineers didn’t slow down; the lead grew to 11 points at halftime. Kangas had eight points in the quarter, while sophomore Brayden Kassin pitched in seven.

Iron Mountain outscored the Hematites, 22-17, in the third quarter, with Kangas scoring 13 points. Senior Evan Copley added three points. It was over from there.

Both team’s made four 3-pointers in the contest. The Mountaineers were 8-for-12 from the free-throw line. Ishpeming ended up 5-for-5 from the stripe.

Iron Mountain received contributions from Sampoll-Torres (8 points, 6 assists), Ian Marttila (5 points), Copley (5 points), Kassin (11 points) and Jaqai Smith (2 points).

The Mountaineers head to Menominee today to face the Maroons.

NORDICS 60, BRONCOS 21

FELCH TOWNSHIP — Better bring your “A” game when making the trip to the Carl F. Lemin Gymnasium to face the North Dickinson boys varsity team.

Bark River-Harris (4-11, 1-2) found that out on Friday as the Nordics (12-4, 2-2) dominated for four quarters and breezed to a 60-21 Skyline Central Conference win.

“(I) really liked the way that we played unselfish offensively,” North Dickinson head coach Chris Mattson said. “(We) rebounded the ball well, we had 42 … (The) game was physical at first. I was very impressed with how efficient we were with the ball. We only had eight turnovers.

“Defensively, we locked in and held Bark River scoreless in the second. Then, we were able to pull away in the third. Can’t say enough about our effort.”

The Broncos opened with a six-point first quarter. The Nordics capitalized with 15 points in the frame. Sophomore Trenton Kramer had six points, while junior Ty King pitched in four for North Dickinson.

The Nordics turned up the defensive pressure in the second, holding Bark River-Harris scoreless. Junior Spencer Kramer took over the offensive load for the home team with nine points, and the lead was 28-6 at halftime.

The Broncos tallied 10 points in the third quarter but couldn’t slow North Dickinson. King scored seven points in eight minutes, Trenton Kramer added five, and Spencer Kramer tallied four.

The Nordics entered the fourth with a 47-16 lead.

King led all scorers in the contest with 20 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds.

North Dickinson also received contributions from Trenton Kramer (11 points, 8 rebounds), Tyler Fleming (3 points), Mason Anderson (2 points), Spencer Kramer (16 points, 9 rebounds), David Madigan (2 points), Jason Graham (2 points), Brady Jungwirth (7 rebounds) and Mason Florenski (4 points).

The Nordics are in Crystal Falls today for an SCC clash with the Trojans (15-1, 5-0).

BADGERS 72, WILDCATS 28

LENA, Wis. — With every game mattering in the race for the Marinette & Oconto Conference’s top spot, the Niagara boys varsity basketball team isn’t letting the pressure bother it.

The Badgers (11-4, 9-2) showed that Friday as they picked up a 72-28 conference road win over Lena (6-9, 2-8).

Niagara’s offense was a force to be reckoned with in the first half. Senior Tommy Martin scored 13 points, while Senior Cameron Schiefelbein pitched in 10. The Wildcats couldn’t keep pace and went into halftime trailing 35-12.

Lena’s Mason Spice scored 10 points in the second half, but the damage was done.

Martin scored 14 points in the final 18 minutes. Schiefelbein added 12.

The Badgers went 5-for-8 from the free-throw line, while Lena went 1-for-7. Both teams made five 3-pointers.

Martin led all scorers in the contest with 27 points.

Niagara also received contributions from Alex Tripp (4 points), Gavin Neuens (6 points), Dazavian Hannah (3 points), Dante Stachowicz (2 points), Easton Holmes (5 points), Schiefelbein (22 points), Christian Anderson (1 point) and Noah Wheeler (2 points).

The Badgers head to Florence, Wis., on Tuesday to face the Bobcats at 7:15 p.m.