Daily Press file photo North Central’s Jason Whitens talks with Tom Markowski after Michigan high school basketball state championship win in 2017.

HERMANSVILLE — A timely run proved helpful to Spalding R Place here Sunday in a 71-65 basketball triumph over Perronville Contemporary Builders in the Class A men’s championship game of the 86th Annual Gold Medal Classic tournament.

R Place led 48-44 before the tourney’s Outstanding Player Jason Whitens sank a jump shot from top of the key for a seven-point lead midway through the second half.

After Perronville got within four, St. Ignace senior Jon Ingalls drained a pair of triples to give R Place a 57-47 cushion.

The Builders got within 69-65 in the final minute before Marcus Johnson helped R Place secure the decision with two clutch free throws.

“Marc’s a great free throw shooter,” Whitens said. “None of us ever played together before, but it was fun figuring it out. I think everybody had a piece of the pie. Everybody contributed within his role. Everybody coached everybody and held each other accountable. There’s so many good players in this tournament which makes it so much fun. This is the healthiest I’ve felt since my two (ACL) surgeries. “

Whitens scored 21 points. Marious Grazulis added 18 and Ingalls finished with 11.

Isaiah Johnson led the Builders with 27 and Travis Vincent had 14.

Previously, Ingalls hit 24 points in a 66-63 overtime victory over Menominee Dexter’s. Grazulis tossed in 17 and Whitens had 14. Austin Armga paced Dexter’s with 35.

Dalapo Olynka’s 28 points was enough to lead the Builders in a 72-45 conquest of Dexter’s.

Johnson added 25 for the winners. Dexter’s was led by Armga’s 21 points. Dawson Bilski scored 12.

Perronville dispatched Crystal Falls McNeil’s Oilers 72-58 in its previous game. Johnson led the way with 26 points and Olynka added 20. Eli Talsma scored 16 for the Oilers.

R Place opened with a 76-64 triumph over Marinette Wagner-Casperson Insurance Saturday.

Whitens led R Place with 23 points. Grazulis hit 12. Johnson added 11 and Darious Yohe had 10. Drew Gunnik scored 15 for Marinette. Blake McLaan chipped in with 14. Kyle Tuma tallied 13 and Justin Stanal had 12.

Johnson then hit 20 points, leading R Place past Hermansville Moonlight Graphics 87-76. Grazulis contributed 19. Ingalls scored 17 and Whitens had 13. Jason Boucher paced Moonlight Graphics with 17. Austin Carlson added 15. Mike Polfus hit 14 and Dylan Plunger tallied 11.

Armga scored 33 points and Kyle Monroe added 27 as Dexter’s opened with a 67-62 victory over Perronville. Johnson led the Builders with 17. Olynka added 14 and Brett Branstrom and Krachinski hit 13 each.

The Builders bounced back with a 74-59 victory over Moonlight Graphics. Krachinski led the Builders with 21 points. Olynka followed with 19 and Johnson hit 12. Mike Polfus scored 18 for Moonlight Graphics.

After starting Saturday with a victory, Dexter’s followed that up with a 74-66 triumph over McNeil’s Oilers. Armga tallied 21 points. Monroe hit 20 and Bilski added 18. Talsma scored 21 and Jaden Borseth had 12 for the Oilers.

Borseth and Jordan Laplant then hit 19 points apiece, leading the Oilers past Wagner-Casperson 68-59. Talsma added 12. Clay Goerds and Blake McCan paced Wagner-Casperson with 14 each and Tuma had 10.

Marcus Johnson, the Class C Outstanding Player poured in 36 points as Iron Mountain Dave’s Auto rolled past Carney Juice Promotions in Sunday’s title contest. Kyle Johnson scored 16 and Reece Castor tallied 13. Jake Polfus hit 12 and Plunger and Carlson added 11 for Carney.

Bay College point guard and Class D Outstanding Player Ryan Sweeney scored 21 points, helping Hermansville Wendrick’s Truss topped Wildwood Restaurant 86-69 for the title. Fellow Bay cager Baril Mawo tossed in 20. Nic Williams hit 18 and Lukas Weaver had 13. Norway senior Alex Ortman led Wildwood with 25.

Wendrick’s defeated Iron River Shamco in Friday’s semifinal. Williams paced the winners with 22 points. Sweeney hit 21. Mawo scored 18 and Connor Smale finished with 13. Caden Pellizer paced Shamco with 22. Dave Pellizer tallied 17 and Ryan Shamion tossed in 15.

Reece Kangas scored 16 points as Wildwood outlasted Escanaba 3’s Company 75-70 in the other semifinal. Powers North Central senior Hunter Robinson hit 13 and Dave Romps chipped in with 12. Trent Keteri paced Esky with 31 and Gladstone senior Drake Johnson had 14.

In the Class EE final, Outstanding Player Jesse Duran and Logan Jebenaby scored 13 points apiece as Daggett Jim’s Plumbing defeated Hermansville Whitens Dry Kiln 54-44. Ethan Dombroski led Hermansville with 11.

Jim’s reached the championship round by eliminating Powers Sidetrack 66-53 in Friday’s semifinal. Jebenaby scored 23 points for Jim’s. Romps led Sidetrack with 19. Kaden Selden and Robinson hit 11 apiece.

One champion was crowned Friday night as Juice Promotions edged Powers/Hermansville Pipkorn’s Mink Ranch 70-68. Jeremy Johnson led the way with 19 points. Brock Bower tallied 15. Jake Polfus hit 12 and Marv Cherette had 11. Jason Davis scored 24 for Pipkorn’s. Mike Malone added 14 and Nick Pipkorn finished with 10.