Todd Rose | Daily Press North Central’s Luke Gorzinski (11) shoots a layup between Bark River-Harris defenders Logan Getzloff (21) and Kaden Drossart (23) as teammate Collin Cordy (right) looks on Feb. 25 in Powers.

POWERS — After a close first half, the North Central Jets were able to pull away for a 63-37 win over the Bark River-Harris Broncos in boys basketball action Friday night in Powers.

Any time the rivals meet on the court, North Central coach Mike Malone said, it is always a battle that makes the win that much better.

“Bark River always plays their best against us. They always bring their A-game,” Malone commented. “It doesn’t matter what their season looks like, who they’ve played or their record. None of that stuff matters. When they come to play us, they always bring their A-game.”

The game began with a special moment, however, for North Central’s Dylan Plunger.

During the Jets 2021 football season, Plunger injured his ACL, putting him on the sideline for not only the reminder of the eventual championship season but for basketball, too.

Throughout his rehabilitation, Plunger has attended practice, put in the work alongside his teammates as a member of the Jets basketball team. Because of this, Plunger started the game, received a pass from the opening tip and put up the first two points of the game to put points next to his name in the Jets stat book.

“It is so heartbreaking to see him at practice every day being there with the guys, learning all the plays and doing all his workouts on the sideline then going to physical therapy and coming back,” said Malone. “Seeing that every single day, the kid wants it so bad. … I would love for that kid to have a wonderful, wonderful season next year. … But that was a fantastic moment.”

Bark River’s Tristan Halfaday scored the tying basket on the next possession to even things up.

Things stayed close through the first half, with the Jets holding a 27-23 advantage going to end the half.

However, North Central opened up the attack in the third outscoring the Broncos 17-4.

Connor Florenski and Luke Gorzinski each had 15 for the Jets, but it was the seniors — Trenton Naser, Bryson Mercier and Bradey Anderson — Malone put a spotlight on for the night.

“Tonight, I would like to put a little bit of light on our seniors because it’s their last home game. Those three boys have done nothing but give me heart and soul,” he said. “Trenton Naser played fantastic defense yet again and rebounded his tail off. (Bryson Mercier) was super intelligent with the basketball, carving up that zone a little bit and then beating guys off the dribble and getting the open man. Bradey Anderson had to guard their best player (Logan Getzloff). So, his defensive stops tonight were huge. He didn’t score a ton of points but what he needs to realize is by him holding Getzloff (scoreless), that was huge for us because last game he torched us.”

Anthony Miley had 12 points to lead the Broncos in scoring while Kaden Drossart had 8 and Ethan Ives 7.

Bark River coach Nick Lippens commented after the game it felt like he had just watched the same game as their Dec. 21 season opener where the Jets beat them 60-41.

“I feel like I just watched a replay of our first game of the season against North Central,” Lippens said. “It was 26-21 at half when we played (at home) and 27-23 this time. Then they come in and lay it on us in the third quarter. We don’t come out ready. We don’t come out hitting shots.

“The last two games we haven’t shot well. It’s not the team I’ve seen the last three weeks, that’s for sure.”

With districts coming up, Lippens and the team now turn their attention to regrouping and preparing for a March 9 meeting with a Gladstone team that has been on the verge of multiple big wins in their last several outings.

“We’re going to step up. We’ve got a week to get prepared for districts and get ready for Gladstone, and they’re playing really good basketball,” he said. “They’re playing good basketball, so we need to bring it when we play them in districts.”

First up for the Jets is Kingsford on Tuesday, while the Broncos face North Dickinson.

Bark River-Harris 12 9 4 12 — 37

North Central 13 14 17 19 — 63

Bark River-Harris — Miley 12, Drossart 8, Ives 7, Lippens 4, Tufnell 3, Halfaday 2, Metzer 1; FT: 8-12; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Miley, Tufnell, Ives.

North Central — Plunger 2, Florenski 15, L. Gorzinksi 15, Naser 8, Mercier 6, Anderson 5, Robinson 5, Sampson 3, Cordy 2, J. Gorzinski 2; FT: 10-18; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Florenski 2, Mercier 2, Anderson, Sampson, Robinson.