GWINN — Gwinn narrowed its deficit to just one possession with 17 seconds left before Norway added several late free throws as the undefeated Knights posted a 50-44 high school boys basketball victory on Tuesday night.

The Upper Peninsula’s No. 1 Class ABC team escaped from Gwinn to improve its record to 14-0 overall and 8-0 in the Mid-Peninsula Conference while the Modeltowners fell to 6-10 and 4-7.

“This can definitely be a building block, to give a team like Norway a run right until the end,” first-year Gwinn head coach Jim Finkbeiner said.

Senior forward Reed Wiedenhoefer led GHS scorers with 14 points, while sophomore guard Austin Forbes added 12 and sophomore forward Tucker Taylor had 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Gwinn jumped out to a 15-12 lead after one quarter before the Knights pounced for a 16-2 second-quarter advantage and 28-17 halftime lead.

The Modeltowners held their own in the third quarter before making their late charge after the Knights didn’t score for what Finkbeiner estimated was three or four minutes.

Forbes hit a 3-pointer that got Gwinn within 47-44 in the final 20 seconds before Norway sank a trio of free throws at the end.

Justin Bal paced the Knights with 16 points.

Norway also won the JV game 54-32.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.