Gladstone junior Lillie Johnson (white jersey) attempts a contested layup during a Great Northern Conference game against Escanaba on Jan. 2, 2025 at Gladstone High School. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE — Whenever Gladstone and Escanaba collide in a sporting event it’s a must watch.

It doesn’t matter if football, basketball, boxing or Monopoly. If the Eskymos and Braves play against each other in anything it’s a big deal.

Thursday night was the next chapter in the girls’ basketball portion of this rivalry’s rich, deep story.

The ink dried with Gladstone improving to 7-0 on the season with a 55-24 win over the Eskymos.

It feels good to play well today,” Braves’ coach Andy Cretens said. “It felt good to play well coming off a break. The preparation we did and the time we put in felt like it paid off. We showed those things today.”

In two games last season Lillie Johnson, then a sophomore, had a pair of breakout games as the Braves swept the season series. Now a junior, Johnson earned a game-best 22 points.

And while Johnson emerged as a monster in last year’s meetings, the first meeting of the 2024-25 season saw Gladstone (7-0, 3-0 Great Northern Conference) get a second scoring option emerge.

Senior Mayce Hanson, who finished with 20 points off six 3-pointers, one away from tying Johnson’s single game record.

“We really focused on (Johnson) early in the game, and she didn’t get a lot of points early. But they showed their true strength as a team, and Hanson and (Addy) Blowers hurt us from up top, an area we were leaving open,” Eskymos coach Tracy Hudson said. “They had a lot of balance. We threw everything at them defensively, but they had an answer for it.”

Hanson knocked down a trio of shots from beyond the arc in the first half, including the first basket of the contest seven seconds deep and splashed to turn a 10-8 lead into a five-point advantage late in the first quarter.

Hanson added a steal into a layup and a duo of deep daggers in the third quarter and hit one more long range shot in the fourth before getting a curtain call to the bench.

“It worked out pretty well,” Hanson said. “We knew they were going to key off Lillie a lot. One of us was going to have to step up and hit the shots that we really needed.”

In a rivalry showdown a guard known more for facilitating the offense and attacking at the rim. But Cretens wasn’t surprised by Hanson’s breakout night.

“She’s been super focused. She’s watched more film than anyone else. She’s watching non-stop,” Cretens revealed. “It’s important to her, and she’s been very dedicated. Her leadership has been great. It’s not a surprise at all, but it’s very cool for it to happen in the Escanaba game.”

For Escanaba (3-4, 0-2), it’s the third-straight loss to Gladstone. The Eskymos are now 0-3 against Negaunee, Kingsford and Gladstone, three of four foes waiting in their district.

Yet, Thursday’s game was the first contested in the year 2025. There are a total of 14 games remaining.

“Every coach is looking to be more efficient on offense, a little nastier on defense and get your team to play a little better. That’s what we’re striving for. Improvement,” Hudson said. “I’m really happy with the attitudes and work ethic, but we have to keep improving. They’re a great bunch to coach, but we have to keep getting better.”

Next games

Escanaba hosts Marquette in a GNC matchup at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Gladstone starts a four-game road trip at 7 p.m. Tuesday to face Ishpeming Westwood.

Box score

Gladstone 15 15 19 6 — 55

Escanaba 8 5 9 2 — 24

Gladstone — Blowers 3, Quigley 1, Hanson 20, Pankonien 5, Reynolds 4, Johnson 22; FT: 1-2; Fouls: 13; 3-point baskets: Hanson 6, Johnson 2, Blowers 1, Pankonien 1

Escanaba — Salo 4, LaMarche 11, Braun 1, Stalboerger 2, Moberg 1, Miron 2, Bray 3; FT: 7-18; Fouls: 5; 3-point baskets: Salo 1