GLADSTONE — Finishing games has been a challenge for a young Gladstone boys’ basketball team through much of this season.

The Braves got the job done here Tuesday night, however, as they upset the Negaunee Miners 60-55 in a Mid-Peninsula Conference match-up.

“This is a good overall team win,” Braves’ coach Jake Kiesby said. “A lot of guys stepped up.”

The Braves, who dropped a 63-31 decision at Negaunee Dec. 16, secured Tuesday’s decision by hitting 4-of-6 free throws in the final 22.7 seconds.

Senior Aaron Hughes hit a layup to give the Braves a 56-50 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

Sophomore Lonnie Davey then sank 3-of-4 gifters and freshman point guard Alex Prins split a pair with 4.7 seconds left to play. “Aaron did a great job,” Kiesby said. “When you get the ball to Aaron in the paint, he creates opportunities inside and tonight he did a real good job finishing. His layup and the free throws down the stretch were big plays.”

Gladstone led 35-22 at halftime, then used a 7-3 run to gain a 42-25 cushion on a jump shot from the lane by Hughes with 5:25 left in the third quarter.

Momentum then began to turn in Negaunee’s favor as sophomore guard/forward Kyle Waterman hit three layups in a row to shave its deficit to 42-31 with 3:04 remaining in the third.

A 20-foot jumper by Prins put the Braves up 45-31 at 2:15.

The Miners (13-6) answered with a 6-0 run to climb within 45-37 on a pair of free throws by senior forward Holden Meyer with 36.3 seconds remaining in the third.

Waterman split a pair of gifters to start the fourth frame.

Davey then sank a jumper from the boulevard and Hughes added a layup to push Gladstone’s lead to 49-38 with 5:11 remaining.

Gladstone led 51-41 midway through the fourth before Negaunee responded with eight unanswered points, shaving its deficit to 51-49 on a pair of free throws by Meyer with 2:06 left.

Hughes gave the Braves a four-point lead with a layup, set up on a pass from sophomore Gabe Sadler. Davey then added a free throw to make it 54-49 with 63 seconds left to play.

Senior forward Brady Mager split two free throws to bring Negaunee within 54-50, setting the stage for Gladstone’s stretch run.

Negaunee led 14-11 after the first quarter, but was outscored 24-8 in the second.

“That was a good quarter for us,” Kiesby said. “That absolutely gave us momentum. Give Negaunee credit. They’re well coached. We knew they weren’t going to give up. There was going to be a run. It was just a matter of how well we were going to weather it.”

Davey led the Braves with 23 points. Prins hit 15 and Hughes got 10 in his final regular-season home game.

“Lonnie is an excellent player,” Kiesby said. “He puts in a lot of work and it shows. Alex controls our offense. He sets the pace of the game and gets it set up, which is a big responsibility for a freshman. When he makes a mistake, he’s good enough to learn from it.”

Waterman scored 20 and senior guard Jordan Guenette added 12 for Negaunee, which visits No. 1 Marquette Friday.

Gladstone resumes at Menominee Friday.

Box score

Negaunee 14 8 15 18 — 55

Gladstone 11 24 10 15 — 60

Negaunee — J. Guenette 12, Mager 3, E. Guenette 4, Waterman 23, Heslip 6, Meyer 7. FT: 14-19; F: 16; Fouled out: J. Guenette; 3-point field goals: J. Guenette, Waterman, Meyer.

Gladstone — Davey 23, Prins 15, Rexford 7, Sadler 3, Reynolds 2, Hughes 10. FT: 10-16; F: 18; Fouled out: Sadler, Reynolds; 3-point field goals: Davey 3, Prins 3, Rexford, Sadler.