Todd Rose | Daily Press Escanaba’s Bryant Maki (34) shoots a layup in front of Sault Ste. Marie defenders Jacob Davie (1) and Ryan LaPlaunt (34) Wednesday at Escanaba. Looking on for the Eskymos is Adam Williette (52).

ESCANABA — The Escanaba Eskymos boy’s basketball team (5-0) decisively grabbed another win to remain undefeated Wednesday night, topping the Sault Ste. Marie (1-3) Blue Devils 74-33 in Escanaba.

“Every kid scored, and it was just a total team effort,” said Eskymos coach Tracy Hudson. “We got off to a great start tonight. We really jumped on them and took control. I thought we did a good job of sharing the ball and moving it.

“With the back-to-back nights, sometimes you don’t know what you have left in the tank, and I thought our kids had a lot left. I thought they reached down deep and really came out with a lot of intensity.”

Bryant Maki put the first points on the board for Esky with a fastbreak layup off a turnover. From there, the floodgates opened. Escanaba put up 13 unanswered points before Vinicio Febles went two-for-two from the line for the Blue Devils. Ryan Laplaunt also scored two for Sault Ste. Marie.

By the end of the first quarter, the Eskymos had a 22-4 lead.

“I think it’s nice to have these kind of games,” said coach Hudson. “It can really build morale on your team and get people excited. It’s always a bonus when you can get (kids) playing in a game situation where there’s fans and a band.”

Hudson referred to the Eskymos’ band as the team’s sixth man as they have helped keep the energy level high for the team.

With the win, Escanaba moves to 5-0.

“I knew it was a possibility,” said coach Hudson. “You always want to think positive, but we haven’t been 5-0 too many times.”

For the second night in a row, Escanaba was without key player Carter Hudson.

“To get through these last two games without one of our top players (Carter Hudson), it gave other players a chance to grow and develop,” coach Hudson said. “I thought Trevor Brown, who stepped in for Carter, he’s gained a lot of confidence and he knows that, ‘Hey I have to be the guy if Carter’s not here.'”

Hudson also praised the performance of the juniors who had an opportunity to score tonight

“Adam Willette and Zach Morehouse scoring was real big,” he said. “We always say, ‘sweep the floor.’ When we say, ‘sweep the floor,’ we say take care of every guy.”

The Eskymos have a few days off before, as coach Hudson put it, they, “run the GNC gauntlet,” with games against Marquette on Feb. 23, Menominee on Feb. 25. and Gladstone on Feb. 26.

For Sault Ste. Marie, a young team with only three seniors, the game was a growing experience.

“I got some good guys on the team, and I think we got some guys that want to be successful,” said Blue Devils coach Mike Fitzner. “We have a big game on Friday (at Rudyard), and Alpena’s coming to our place on Saturday … I said (at halftime), ‘we need to use this next 16 minutes to get better. We got to keep working on our stuff and executing our stuff.

“I think we fought to the end, but we need to find that toughness, that refuse to lose mentality.”

Fitzner gave a tip of the hat to the Eskymos program, too.

“Kudos to Esky and coach Hudson. He does a fantastic job with these guys,” he said. “They’re going to be a tough team to beat throughout the year.”

Colin Hudson led Escanaba in scoring with 13 points. Erik Victorson had 12.

The varsity win gave the Eskymos a clean sweep against the Blue Devils. The freshmen squad took their game 46-27 while the JV team won 67-54.

Sault Ste. Marie 4 10 5 14 — 33

Escanaba 22 19 24 9 — 74

Sault Ste. Marie: Swanson 8, Haller 8, McShane 5, Febies 4, Oshelski 3, Hoffman 3, LePlaunt 2; F: 12; FT: 4-7; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Haller 2, Oshelski, Hoffman, McShane.

Escanaba: Colin Hudson 13, Victorson12, Frazer 9, Hanson 9, Smale 8, Maki 8, Willette 4, morehouse 2, Howes 1; F: 9; FT: 13-16; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Smale 2, Frazer, Hudson.