ESCANABA - Gladstone boys basketball coach Dale Hongisto was asked if the Braves played their best game of the season in Monday's 55-41 Class B regional semifinal win over West Branch Ogemaw Heights.
"I guess you could probably say that," said Hongisto. "If not, it has to be near the top somewhere, though I never really thought about it that way."
Hongisto and the Braves (18-5) have their minds on more pressing matters, such as tonight's showdown with Petoskey for the Class B regional championship at Cheboygan High School at 7 p.m.
The Northmen (22-1) come off an emotionally exhausting 64-62 triple overtime victory over 2009 regional champ Ludington Monday.
Gladstone got off to a good start against the Falcons Monday, which has become a trend in recent games.
"We have been doing that the last several weeks," Hongisto said. "When we start the game well, we get to dictate how the game goes. We are definitely peaking and obviously it's at the right time of the season."
Senior guards Steve Seronko and Kollin Jensen are playing their best basketball of the season, accounting for 38 points against Ogemaw Heights, but Hongisto points out the Braves have taken their game up a notch since junior forward Jared Stenson joined the starting lineup.
"Jared has started three consecutive games for us," said Hongisto. "I decided a couple weeks ago we needed to go with another high energy guy who could rebound and get loose balls and Jared is our guy."
What concerns Hongisto most about Petoskey is the defensive end.
"They're big and athletic and we have to win second chance points," he said. "My forwards and centers will have to rebound the basketball well."
Petoskey coach Dennis Starkey stuck around to watch Gladstone Monday night and was impressed with the Braves.
"Gladstone is a very good basketball team, but they're also the sort of team that's successful because of their guard play," said Starkey. "They have the ingredients to give any team trouble."
Senior point guard Grant Tracy, who scored 17 points against Ludington, runs the Northmen offense. Starkey's son Cory, a 6-foot-6 junior, is Petoskey's leading scorer, averaging 19 points a game, but is recovering from a recent bout of mononucleosis. Center Joe Keedy averages 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. Keedy led the Northmen to a state soccer championship last year.
The other two starters are forward Nick Moore, who is a solid rebounder, and guard Brad Murphy, who is probably the best defender.
The Northmen returned four starters this season from a 13-8 team last year which was upset in its district opener by a two-win Elk Rapids team. Coach Starkey says his kids have had that chip on their shoulder all year.
"That loss has really motivated them," he said. "This group collectively has not lost a lot of games. Their mindset is different from a lot of teams in terms of success (the Northmen are playing in the regional tournament for the fifth time in the last seven seasons)."
Hongisto says the key for Gladstone is doing a good job on the boards.
"We probably won't outrebound them, but we have to make it respectable and if we can do that, we have a legitimate chance of winning," he said.
The winner advances to the state quarterfinals Tuesday at Houghton Lake against Muskegon Heights or Fremont.