Wade Krysiak of Superior Central splits Big Bay de Noc defenders Eric Johnson, left, and Alex LaLonde on Tuesday in Garden Corners. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Dennis Grall)

GARDEN CORNERS — Building a little momentum can go a long ways in helping a struggling team as it enters the postseason.

Big Bay de Noc did just that Tuesday night by defeating Superior Central 64-54 in its regular season boys basketball finale. Both teams play Monday at the Cougars’ gym, with Big Bay facing Rapid River at 6 p.m. and Mid Peninsula meeting host Superior Central at 7:30.

“It was important for us to get a little bit of momentum,” said Big Bay coach Bob Pederson, noting the Black Bears (4-16 overall, 2-11 Skyline Central) have won three of their last four games.

Superior Central (3-16, 2-10) has one more chance to find that momentum Thursday with a trip to Bark River-Harris. The Cougars have lost their last 13 games after a 3-3 start.

“I told the guys you have got to be 10 points better on the road,” SC coach Matt Rondeau said. “The district isn’t on the road.”

Being home may not help if the Cougars perform like they did Tuesday.

“We had a poor shooting percentage and we were sloppy, sloppy passing,” Rondeau said. “They were falling asleep on defense.”

The Black Bears capitalized, especially in the third quarter with a 10-0 point flurry to open a 48-29 cushion.

“The third quarter we had a lot of intensity,” said Pederson, noting the Cougars managed just seven points after trailing 31-23 at the intermission.

Pederson said the 10-point outburst “gave us an opportunity to try other defenses and test out things we might want to try in the district.”

Tyler Johnson, a 6-foot-4 senior, had 23 points for the Black Bears after he went inside several times to take slick passes from Nathan Chandler on the wing.

He was also creative at a key juncture of the second quarter with consecutive baskets after the Cougars pulled to within 23-19.

“We had a lot of good open looks but they just weren’t going down,” lamented Rondeau, noting his club also “looked way out of kilter” for good stretches.

Junior Wade Krysiak had a solid night for the Cougars, getting good penetration multiple times and finishing with 15 points.

“He came out playing the way we need Wade to play at the districts,” said Rondeau, who liked the way he attacked the basket.