By Journal Sports Staff

MARQUETTE — Brad Nelson has preached defense all year to his Marquette Redmen boys basketball team.

They’re taking his coaching to heart.

MSHS limited Menominee to three points in both the second and third quarters as the Redmen ran off with a 58-33 Great Northern Conference victory on Friday night.

“Holding them to six total points in the middle two quarters — our defense was exceptional, it was stellar tonight,” Nelson said. “It’s the best we’ve played all year.”

Marquette (7-1 overall, 4-0 GNC) only led 17-15 after one quarter before the defense shone. MSHS extended that lead to 33-18 by halftime and 45-21 after three quarters.

The Redmen had some unusual offensive stats — they made 12 3-pointers and just 11 2-point baskets, while they never had a chance to shoot a free throw all night.

Senior guard Alex DuVall led the Redmen with 17 points, while fellow senior Garrett Finkbeiner added 12 on four triples and freshman guard Joe Ostrowsky had 11 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds.

Munising 54,

Forest Park 51

At Crystal Falls, Cade Contreras led the Mustangs in scoring with 14 points, while Jesse Mattson tacked on 11.

“It was probably one of our toughest road games of the year,” Munising head coach Terry Kienitz said. “It was a long drive and a tough gym to play in, in front of their tough fan base.”

The key for the Mustangs’ victory was switching from man-to-man defense to a zone in the second half, taking over a game which the Trojans led 30-24 at the half.

Contreras nailed three triples to weaken a Forest Park defense that was also running a zone.

The Mustangs kept their perfect record alive at 8-0 with the win.

Iron Mountain 62, Gwinn 39

At Gwinn, the Modeltowners found a way to contain Carson Wonders, who scored 43 points on them the first time they played in December.

Wonders managed just 12 points, but two other Mountaineer teammates had solid games — Marcus Johnson scored 22 and Jaden Vincenzi 17.

“My team didn’t back down after Wonders went off on us the first time,” Gwinn coach Jim Finkbeiner said. “We put Jordan Stein on him to start, then switch guys constantly on him. We didn’t let him get comfortable.”

IM built a modest 18-12 lead after one quarter, only extending it to 29-19 by halftime.

Then the Mountaineers had a couple runs in the third quarter and built the lead to 47-30 entering the fourth quarter.

Austin Forbes led the Modeltowners with 14 points, while Stein added nine.

Iron Mountain won the JV game 61-20.

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