Justin St. Ours | Daily Press Escanaba’s Trevor Brown (40) blocks a shot from Kingsford’s Brody Kopp (12) Friday at Escanaba. Looking on for the Eskymos is Brandon Frazer (4).

ESCANABA — The second-ranked Escanaba boys clinched the Great Northern Conference basketball title here Friday night, rolling past the Kingsford Flivvers 70-41.

Esky, which improved to 12-1 overall and 6-0 in the GNC, came into this week as the top-ranked large school team in the Upper Peninsula.

The victory enabled the Eskymos to bounce back from Tuesday’s 58-52 loss at second-ranked Iron Mountain.

“I’m very happy with the way the guys responded,” said Esky coach Tracy Hudson. “We looked like a team that was playing for a championship. This was a great win against a team that just beat Menominee (80-75 in overtime at home Monday). They’re a team that could be in the (Division 2) district championship game. We told the kids they had to be disciplined.”

Kingsford was within 11-8 following an 18-foot jump shot by sophomore Nick Nora with 64 seconds left in the first quarter.

Esky responded with a 6-0 run, taking a 17-8 lead on a pair of free throws by junior forward Trevor Brown.

The Flivvers trimmed their deficit to 17-11 on a jumper from the left corner by senior Hunter Bilgreen with 6 1/2 minutes left in the second.

Kingsford, which played without juniors Mike Meneguzzo and Zach Person, hit just 2-of-20 shots from behind the arc and committed 12 turnovers. Esky had nine miscues, including just two in the second half.

“I thought Tracy did a great job preparing them, and their guys did a great job going inside,” said Kingsford coach Dan Olkkonen. “Collin (Hudson) did real on offensive rebounds. We didn’t shoot very well. We usually don’t shoot that many 3-pointers, but they’re so big, wide and tall. I’m proud of our guys. I thought we battled them pretty well. We played pretty hard in the third quarter. They’re a very good team. They not only have the inside, (but) they also have the outside.”

The Flivvers were within 44-28 following a jumper from the lane and free throw by senior Cole Bracket. Esky, however, didn’t allow them to get any closer.

Colin Hudson finished with 20 points. Senior guards Erik Victorson and Connor Smale added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Senior forward Carter Hudson had nine points and five blocked shots, and senior guard Brandon Frazer collected five assists.

“Colin is a tough match-up,” said coach Hudson. “He finds ways to get open. We told him ‘don’t fall in love with the three or worry about driving.’ We just told him to mix it up. I thought the guys did a great job locking down on the perimeter. Their guys on the perimeter are good athletes. I thought they’d play zone, but they played man. That’s okay. We can shoot from outside, too. I think we’re right up there with the best in the U.P.”

Nora hit 16 points, and Bracket added 10 for the Flivvers (6-5 overall, 3-4 league), who visit Norway Tuesday.

Esky also won the JV contest (65-44) and freshman game (70-44). The Eskymos host Negaunee Monday.

Kingsford 8 10 12 9 — 41

Escanaba 13 24 17 16 — 70

Kingsford — Nora 16, Counter 2, Carollo 1, Kopp 4, Weber 3, Bracket 10, Bilgreen 5. FT: 5-8; F: 14; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Bracket, Bilgreen.

Escanaba — Frazer 3, Smale 10, Colin Hudson 20, Morehouse 1, Carter Hudson 9, Hanson 5, Victorson 11, Brown 9, Willette 2. 3-point field goals: Colin Hudson 2, Frazer, Smale, Hanson, Victorson.