Baraga's Daniel Connor (23) and Hancock's Isaac Wanhala (0) battle for position under the hoop during a game Thursday at the Hancock High School gym. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

Vikings 68, Bulldogs 40

HANCOCK — As the regular season wraps up for high school basketball this week, the Baraga Vikings boys are going out on a roll. Thursday, they notched their sixth win in a row with a 68-40 victory over the Hancock Bulldogs.

The win put the Vikings at 15-6 with just one more game to go.

“We started slow,” said Vikings coach Jon Boever, “but I told them to pick up the pace in the second, and they did.”

After a 9-9 stalemate in the first quarter, the Vikings outscored the Bulldogs 25-10 in the second quarter to take a 34-19 lead into the locker room at half.

“We got into a good rhythm,” Boever said.

The third quarter was the Bulldogs’ best with a 16-point showing. It could have easily been a 25-point showing if they would have made a number of easy shots around the basket. Better rebounding would have helped their offensive cause as well.

Up by 20 at 55-35 heading into the fourth, Boever closed out the game with some bench players, and combined for a 16-5 win for those final minutes.

Easton Foucault led the scoring for the Vikings with 22 points. Daniel Connor followed with 20. Joseph Fish poured in 18.

“I am splitting the game ball for this win in half,” said Boever. “It goes to my two guards (Foucault and Fish) for their solid defense, picking up the pace, and controlling the tempo.”

For the Bulldogs (2-17), Gage Chynoweth topped the scoring with 19. Isaac Wanhala followed with 13.

As this was their last home game of the regular season, the Bulldogs honored their sole senior player, Mason Wiitanen. According to Hancock coach Jay Caserio, Wiitanen will be missed as he has been a great contributor on and off the court.

Up next

The Bulldogs traveled to Watersmeet on Friday. The Vikings were on the road at Wakefield-Marenisco that same night. Postseason tournament play begins next week for both teams.

Copper Kings 56, Lakes 53

CALUMET — John Golus had a big night as the Calumet Copper Kings boys held off the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes, 56-53, Thursday night in the Calumet gym.

Calumet took a 15-12 lead into the first breather of the night, thanks to seven points from Golus, who finished with a team-high 15. Keith Koivisto added a 3-pointer and a basket as well.

Josh Daavettila had a basket and a 3-pointer to help pace the Lakes. He finished with a game-high 19 points. Bodie Fortin added two baskets and a free throw in the quarter.

In the second, the Lakes pulled back within one point thanks to a 14-point quarter. Blake Lebo led the way with three baskets as part of his 18-point night.

Calumet got a basket and a three from Andrew Junttila and a 3-pointer from Owen Loukus and led 27-26 at the break.

The Copper Kings responded in the third by out-scoring the Lakes 16-11 in the quarter. Peter Torola picked up three baskets, and Hayden Rajala added a 3-pointer and a basket.

The Lakes spread the ball around, but were led by four points from Daavettila on a pair of baskets.

Lake Linden did what they could in the fourth to pull back within three. Lebo led the way with two baskets and a 3-pointer. Daavettila added two free throws and two baskets as well.

Junttila drove the Copper Kings with two baskets and a free throw to close things out.

Cardinals 87, Panthers 52

CHASSELL — The Chassell Panthers scored 19 points in each of the second and third quarters, but could not keep up with the Wakefield-Marenisco Cardinals Thursday, as the Cardinals had four players finish in double figures in an 87-52 win at the Ed Helakoski Gym in Chassell.

The Cardinals were paced by Chase Lane, who finished with 19 points. Garrett Prisbe had 15, Eli Hewitt had 12, and Carter Bouvette added 10.

Wakefield jumped out to a 25-5 lead after eight minutes thanks to five 3-pointers from Lane. Prisbe added one.

Brayden Larson, who had 10 points for the Panthers, hit a 3-pointer in the first for Chassell.

In the second, the Panthers out-scored the Cardinals, 19-18. Larson hit another 3-pointer. Luke Tarvis, who finished with 15 points, had a basket and a three.

Dayne Tarvis, who paced the Panthers with 19 points, got rolling as well. He had two baskets and four free throws.

The Cardinals got 3-pointers from Brock Pangrazzi and Prisbe.

The teams traded blows in the third quarter, with both teams reaching 19 points.

Bouvette had a pair of threes. Prisbe added one as well.

Dayne Tarvis caught fire, scoring a 3-pointer and a pair of baskets. Luke Tarvis hit two threes and sandwiched a basket in between.

The fourth quarter finished much like the first, with the Cardinals posting 25 points, while the Panthers had just nine.

Bronx Constantini and Marcus Kanto each had a 3-pointer for Wakefield. Jonah White added three baskets.

Chassell got two baskets from Dayne Tarvis and a basket from Henry Noble.