ESCANABA — A pair of girls’ basketball teams had plenty of scoring opportunities in a non-conference contest here Friday night.

Bark River-Harris cashed in on just enough of those in the end to hang on for a 45-40 triumph over the Escanaba Eskymos.

Two free throws by junior Brooklyn Beauchamp brought the Eskymos within 41-40 with 1:25 left to play in their season debut.

A jump shot from the lane by senior Melina Cortez in the final three seconds, however, put the game out of reach.

The non-conference victory enabled the Broncos to bounce back from a 54-11 loss at Menominee in the Dec. 8 opener.

“We weren’t going to let that happen again,” BR-H coach Paige Welch said. “We can enjoy this one a little bit for 24 hours, then we have to get ready for the next one.”

The Broncos gained a 28-11 advantage on junior Emma Zawada’s jumper from top of the key late in the second quarter of a physical contest in which the teams combined for 36 fouls.

Esky, however, wasn’t done by any means.

The Eskymos finished the second frame with an 11-0 run and added the first bucket, a putback by sophomore Aubrey Mylander, of the third to close within 28-24.

Senior Ava Stahlboerger split a pair of free throws to bring Esky within 31-30 late in the third stanza.

The Broncos then extended their lead to 35-30 on a 12-foot set shot by Cortez to end the third quarter.

A layup by senior Landry Bray brought Esky within 35-32 with 6:55 left in the game.

Neither team scored for nearly three minutes until Cortez drained a pair of gifters for a five-point BR-H lead at 4:02.

Esky shaved its deficit to 37-36 with 3:02 remaining on a layup by senior Susie Moberg.

It was then nip-and-tuck for the remainder of the contest, setting the stage for the game-clinching shot by Cortez.

“Cortez won some big 50/50 balls and they did a good job getting to the free throw line,” Esky coach Tracy Hudson said. “I told the girls I was happy with the way they battled back. They (BR-H) made the plays and tough baskets down the stretch.”

BR-H scored the game’s first 15 points, climaxed on a jumper from the boulevard by senior Julia Nault.

A lay-in and free throw by Moberg got Esky on the board with 1:51 left in the opening frame.

Bray turned a putback into a layup to end an 8-0 run and bring the Eskymos within 15-9 early in the second.

Zawada sank a 20-foot jumper from the right wing to put the Broncos up 20-9 before they surged to their largest lead.

A buzzer-beating lay-in by Moberg brought the Eskymos within 28-22 at halftime.

Cortez led the Broncos with 22 points, which is believed to be a career-high. Zawada added 16.

“Emma and Melina really stepped up tonight,” Welch said. “We have a lot of hard-working, smart defenders. That’s going to be big for us. We want the girls to gain confidence, but not get too relaxed. This shows we have to work hard the whole game.”

Moberg scored 13 points for the Eskymos, who committed 28 turnovers. The Broncos finished with 17.

Both teams play again tonight.

BR-H, which also won the jayvee game 37-21, hosts Norway. Esky visits Crystal Falls Forest Park. Both games tip off at 7:30.

BR-Harris 15 13 7 10 — 45

Escanaba 5 17 8 10 — 40

Bark River-Harris — Bridges 4, Zawada 16, Cortez 22, J. Nault 3. FT 13-20; F: 14; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Zawada 3.

Escanaba — Beauchamp 4, VanDamme 2, Moberg 13, Mylander 6, Stahlboerger 3, Derkos 3. FT: 7-14; F: 22; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goal: Bray.