Todd Rose | Daily Press Big Bay de Noc’s Camryn Pederson (front) shoots a layup against Hannahville’s Ava Eagle (13) Thursday at Big Bay.

GARDEN CORNERS — The Big Bay de Noc Black Bears girls basketball team (2-1) roared to life Thursday night with a 65-17 win against the Hannahville Soaring Eagles in Garden Corners.

“We got a lot of the girls into the game,” said Black Bears coach Bob Pederson. “Some girls scored their first varsity points tonight, so that’s fun.”

For the Black Bears, and particularly those scoring their first points, the win had additional meaning as it was Parents’ Night.

“It’s special,” said coach Pederson. “We had a little bit bigger crowd. Those girls work just as hard as the girls who start … It was important to me that they’re not just wasting their time working hard in practice and they get to see the court and get some time, too.”

Though his team started a bit slower than anticipated, Pederson was happy with their overall effort — especially in the second quarter where the Black Bears put up 27 points.

“We had a really slow start,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s nerves … We’d get the shots, we’d get in good position and we wouldn’t make the shot. It was a little frustrating.”

Alix Bleau led Big Bay in scoring with 18 points.

“Alix is our leader,” said coach Pederson. “She’s usually our point leader, she’s at the top of our press, she gets us going on defense and she’s got a good outside shot and cuts to the lane.”

Coach Pederson also named Gracynn Durrance’s performance as an important one.

“(She) had a nice game tonight,” he said. “We played Mid Pen on Tuesday, and she didn’t get one shot. So, we really made an effort to get Gracynn started right away and she responded well.”

Camryn Pederson also had 10 points for the Black Bears.

For the Hannahville Soaring Eagles — a team comprised mostly of seventh and eighth graders — the game was a chance for the team to continue developing.

“We basically have a junior high team playing at the high school level,” said Soaring Eagles coach Michelle Carne. “I am just wanting the girls to get better … Luckily, I’m going to have these girls for five and six years. So, we’re looking forward to building the program and keeping up our big numbers.”

Carne noted sophomore Dezirae Lattergrass as someone who has taken on a role as a mentor to the young members of the team.

“I’m really proud of Dezirae Lattergrass,” she said. “She’s been stepping up and leading our team on and off the court. She’s just been a really good role model for all the girls.

“Taking on that leadership role for the seventh and eighth graders as a tenth grader has been huge. So, I’m looking forward to many more years with her, too.”

Despite their inexperience and the outcome of games, Carne knows her team will always put in the effort she expects.

“There is nobody that is going to work harder than these girls out there,” she said. “They give me 100 percent until the final buzzer.”

Ava Eagle had two three-pointers for the Soaring Eagles while Jenessa Platt and Laniceya Malinowski each had one. Platt and Ava Eagle both had six points for Hannahville.

Big Bay moves on to take on Mackinac Island on Saturday in Garden Corners while Hannahville hits the road to play Beaver Island Saturday morning.

Hannahville 6 6 2 3 — 17

Big Bay de Noc 15 27 16 7 — 65

Hannahville: Platt 6, Ava Eagle 6, Malinowski 3, Lattergrass 2; F: 19; FT: 3-4; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Ava Eagle 2, Platt, Malinowski.

Big Bay de Noc: Bleau 18, Pederson 10, Durrance 10, Jones 8, Nedeau 6, Massengill 6, Morris 5, Matheny 2; F: 13; FT: 12-24: Fouled out: None.