Baraga's Joseph Fish looks to make a play on Wednesday in a Division 4 District 98 semifinal game against the L'Anse Purple Hornets in L'Anse. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

L’ANSE — Rivalry U.P. basketball was at its best Wednesday in L’Anse as the Baraga Vikings boys basketball team battled it out with the L’Anse Purple Hornets in a MHSAA Division 4 District 98 semifinal game in the L’Anse gym. The Vikings emerged victorious, 46-44.

The game came down to the final seconds. With eight seconds to go in the fourth, L’Anse’s Sam Lee put the Purple Hornets up by one, 44-43, by sinking two free throws. The Vikings, who had led by as much as 13 points at half needed a miracle, and they got it by way of Easton Foucault.

After Daniel Connor in-bounded the ball to Joseph Fish, Fish dribbled just past half court and made a desperate pass to Foucault who heaved a 3-pointer up just before the buzzer sounded. His shot was all net and pandemonium ensued on the court.

“I would like to take credit for that one,” said a smiling Jon Boever, coach of the Vikings. “But that was all Easton. Wow.”

Interestingly, that was Foucault’s one and only basket from the floor. He had made a free throw earlier in the quarter.

This was the third meeting between these two conference foes. L’Anse (15-7) had beaten Baraga (16-6) twice by more than 10 points in each previous meeting.

This game opened with Baraga dominating the first two quarters. They led 17-7 after one and pushed that lead to 13 with a 26-13 at half.

“That was the worst first half of the season,” said Purple Hornets coach Rob Potter. “At half I told them that, but we were still in it.”

Boever was on the same page, and he was right.

“I knew going into the half that being up by 13 wasn’t going to be enough,” he said.

He was right as the Purple Hornets opened the third with a 6-0 run and outscored the Vikings 14-5, moving the score to 27-31 with eight minutes to go.

“We picked up the pace and took it to the hoop,” said Potter. “We played our game.”

A triple by Sam Lee put the Purple Hornets within one, 36-35. A jumper by Quentin Supanich put them in the lead, 37-36, with less than two minutes to go. They kept that lead until the final second.

“We got in a position to win the game, and that was good,” Potter said. “Obviously, disappointed in the way it ended.”

Connor led the scoring for Baraga with 16 points. Fish poured in 14.

For the Purple Hornets, Lee had 12 and Talan Larson sunk 10.

“What a great game,” said Boever. “Hats off to L’Anse. The atmosphere was electric.”

Up next

The Baraga Vikings will face Dollar Bay-Tamarack City for the Division 4 District 98 title game at the Dollar Bay gym. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.