North Central junior Riley Cretens attempts a shot against Mid Peninsula on Jan. 20, 2026 at Mid Peninsula School. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

ST. NICHOLAS — The Powers North Central boys picked up the pace in the second half here Tuesday night as they broke away for a 59-36 basketball triumph over Rock Mid Peninsula.

North Central led 28-23 at halftime in this non-conference contest, then outscored the Wolverines 12-0 in the third quarter.

“We couldn’t put the ball in the ocean in the first half,” Jets’ coach Jon Haight said. “We had a good halftime and cleaned up some things. We came out with more intensity on defense. When we play defense like that we’re tough.”

Junior Kaden Malone scored on a lay-in to start the third stanza and classmate Nathan Pipkorn drove down the lane for a layup, giving the Jets a 32-23 cushion.

Malone sank a jump shot from the boulevard to make it 38-23 late in the third and senior Brody Mercier hit a pair of free throws for a 40-23 advantage with 1:40 left in the third frame.

A 20-foot set shot from the right wing by Pipkorn put the Jets up by 20 points to begin the fourth.

Eighth-grade guard Cason Brunngraeber drained a 25-foot jumper from the left wing to bring the Wolverines within 55-37 slightly more than midway through the fourth, but the Jets didn’t allow them to get any closer.

“We played well for a while, then it kind of fell apart,” Mid Pen coach Carl Brunngraeber said. “I was very happy with the effort in the first half. Only, we played too much one-on-one basketball. Scoring zero points in a quarter is not going to work against anybody. Although, I think that’s part of being a young team.”

Mid Pen led 11-6 after the first quarter.

North Central responded with seven unanswered points, taking a 13-11 lead on a pair of gifters by junior Riley Cretens early in the second.

The Wolverines led 23-21 late in the second stanza before the Jets used a 7-0 run to surge to a 28-23 halftime lead.

North Central gained its five-point cushion on a layup by senior Brooks Castle on an inbound pass from Malone.

“That little spurt before halftime helped us,” Haight said. “When we’re playing good defense, it gives us momentum and we really locked down in the third quarter. We’re also starting to take care of the ball better.”

Malone scored 15 points and Cretens added 11 for the Jets, who committed 12 turnovers.

Freshman Briceson Roberts was Mid Pen’s leader with eight points. The Wolverines finished with 25 miscues.

“We’re still really young,” coach Brunngraeber said. “Although, the guys don’t always like to hear that. They want to have success right now. I sometimes still feel bad for them, but the future is bright. We’re improving. Only, it’s not always showing up in the win column.”

North Central (4-7), which also won the jayvee game 63-28, will take a three-game winning streak into Friday’s home game against Florence, Wis.

Mid Pen (1-8) will try to end a five-game losing streak Friday when it hosts Mackinaw City.

North Central 6 22 12 19 — 59

Mid Peninsula 11 12 0 12 — 35

Powers North Central — Cretens 11, Stage 2, Pipkorn 5, Trudgeon 5, Mercier 6, Janofski 7, Malone 15, Castle 8. FT: 13-19; F: 18; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goal; Pipkorn.

Rock Mid Peninsula — Cason Brunngraeber 3, Cyler Brunngraeber 5, Dahn 3, Roberts 8, Peterson 1, Casey 2, S. Holmes 4, VanDamme 5, L. Holmes 4. FT: 7-16; F: 14; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Cason Brunngraeber, Cyler Brunngraeber, Roberts, VanDamme.