Escanaba sophomore Hayven Sandoval-Nolde (left) drives to the basket during a game against Kingsford on Dec. 6, 2024 at Escanaba High School.

ESCANABA — A faster pace was more to Escanaba’s liking here Thursday night in a 67-34 basketball triumph over the Bark River-Harris Broncos.

BR-H, which controlled the tempo in the first half, was within 20-17 at halftime before the Eskymos picked it up in the second half of this non-conference contest.

“The kids got after it,” Esky coach Tom Gereau said. “They played with more energy and were flying around. We preach to the kids it’s all about effort and attitude, and they showed it in the second half.”

Esky gained its three-point halftime lead on a buzzer-beating layup by senior Javon Stevenson.

The Eskymos then scored the first 10 points in the third quarter, gaining a 30-17 cushion on a layup by junior Taylor Asgaard.

“It’s always nice to get the last shot before halftime,” Gereau said. “They wanted to slow us down with their zone (defense), but we were able to pick up the pace and it worked in our favor. We hadn’t shown it all game. We needed to change and it was a great energy boost.”

BR-H was within 34-24 following a 12-foot jump shot from the left baseline by sophomore Jacob Mileski midway through the third.

Esky finished the third stanza with an 11-0 run, taking a 45-25 advantage on a running four-foot jumper by sophomore Hayven Sandoval-Nolde.

“We’ve been asking Hayven to be more aggressive and controlling the ball was key in the second half,” Gereau said.

The Eskymos led 11-9 after the first quarter.

Senior Jacob Mileski, however, drained a 21-foot jumper from the left wing to send the Broncos ahead 12-11 early in the second frame.

The teams went back and forth much of the second with BR-H taking a 16-15 lead on a seven-foot jumper from the right baseline midway through that stanza.

Sandoval-Nolde gave Esky an 18-16 lead on a jumper from the left wing before junior Brayden Derouin split a pair of free throws to bring BR-H within a point at 2:29.

“We controlled the tempo and took care of the ball much of the first half,” BR-H coach Nick Lippens said. “It seemed like we panicked against their press and called time-out to calm the guys down. We didn’t execute against their press the right way. Once they jumped on us, we let it affect us too much.”

Sandoval-Nolde led the Eskymos with 21 points. Asgaard hit 10 and junior Owen Fields had nine. Derouin scored 14 for the Broncos.

BR-H committed 24 turnovers and Esky had 13, including just three in the second half.

“We had a lot of sophomores on the floor, but 24 turnovers as a team is too many,” Lippens said.

The Broncos (2-5) played at Menominee and the Eskymos (5-2) visited Gladstone Friday night.

Both teams resume after the holidays with BR-H hosting Carney-Nadeau Jan. 2 and Esky hosting Menominee Jan. 3.

Box score

BR-Harris 9 8 8 9 — 34

Escanaba 11 9 25 22 — 67

Bark River-Harris — Mileski 6, Derouin 14, Knauf 3, Spear 4, McDonough 1, Latsch 2, Baker 4. FT: 4-7; F: 13; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Mileski 2

Escanaba — Stevenson 6, Garcia 5, Schroeder 8, Jacques 4, Fields 9, Morgan 4, Asgaard 10, Sandoval-Nolde 21. FT: 8-14; F: 13; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Fields 3, Schroeder 2, Garcia 1