Todd Rose | Daily Press North Central’s Bryson Mercier shoots over Stephenson’s Owen Kuehnau Thursday night in Powers.

POWERS — Just over a third of the way into the 2021-22 season, the North Central Jets boys basketball team remains undefeated at 7-0 after they beat the Stephenson Eagles (3-3) 68-37 Thursday night in Powers.

After a slow start — the result of being surprised by Stephenson’s defense — the Jets hit their stride with a 13-point run in the second half of the first quarter to lead 17-4.

The Eagles went up first on a layup for two from Spencer Coldren.

Jesse Sampson of the Jets answered back, hitting two free throws and another two-point shot to take the lead. Griffin Brown then tied things at four for the Eagles.

Then the Jets pulled away.

“We had a lot of things drawn up for zone (defense),” said Jets coach Mike Malone. “We thought we were going to see some zone to start. At different times, I thought they were going to mix it up a little more. But, they played man the whole game, so it threw us off a little bit. But, once my guys got into a rhythm, and we started hitting our spots, stacking the gaps and find the open guy, we settled in.”

North Central did spread the ball around once things settled in for the team as four players — Jesse Sampson (16), Luke Gorzinski (13), Connor Florenski (10) and Collin Cordy (10) — hit double digits in scoring. Bradey Anderson also had eight while Trenton Naser had five, and Carter Tietz and Bryson Mercier both hit three-point shots.

Malone called the Jets’ ability to contribute as a whole “a huge blessing.”

“When we got four guys in double digits — and everybody on our team can shoot, they can all shoot it — but when they share the sugar like that, it’s a beautiful thing to watch,” he said. “They love each other. They always have each other’s backs, and when you can come out with four guys in double figures, there’s nothing better.”

Spencer Coldren and Zach Schwartz shot for 11 points to lead the Eagles, and Lluis Colomer Alloza added eight.

Both teams shot well from the free throw line, with Stephenson going 7-10 and North Central 8-10.

The North Central Jets and Stephenson Eagles are both back in action on Monday.

North Central, which won the JV game 39-18, hits the road to face North Dickinson, and for the Eagles, a trip to Harris to face the Bark River-Harris Broncos is in store.

Stephenson 4 9 13 11 — 37

North Central 17 19 17 15 — 68

Stephenson — Coldren 11, Schwartz 11, Alloza 8, Brown 4, Kuehnau 3; FT: 7-10; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Kuehnau, Coldren.

North Central — Sampson 16, Gorzinski 13, Florenski 10, Cordy 10, Anderson 8, Naser 5, Tietz 3, Mercier 3; FT: 8-10; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Sampson 2, Anderson, Gorzinski, Tietz, Mercier.