The 2024-25 Big Bay de Noc girls’ basketball team poses for a photo after winning the Northern Lights League Tournament title on Feb. 15, 2025 at Hannahville schools. (Submitted photo/Bob Pederson)

HANNAHVILLE — Big Bay de Noc’s full-court pressure defense took its toll here Saturday, rolling to the Northern Lights League girls’ basketball title in a 94-44 rout of Beaver Island here Saturday.

The Black Bears reached the championship by eliminating Hannahville 60-19.

Beaver Island committed 37 turnovers in the championship game and the Soaring Eagles had 23 miscues against the Black Bears.

“We work on it a lot in practice,” Big Bay junior Caragan Thill said. “We’re so much faster than the other teams we play. I think it wears them down.”

Big Bay took a 17-6 lead on two free throws by Thill midway through the first quarter.

The Islanders closed within 17-13 with 2:09 left in the opening frame when junior Sophie McDonough split a pair of gifters.

It was 19-15 when Islanders’ freshman Madeline McGee sank a six-foot set shot.

Big Bay answered with a 17-1 run, gaining a 36-15 cushion on two free throws by Thill midway through the second stanza.

A layup by sophomore Payton Pederson gave the Black Bears a 45-23 advantage late in the second.

The Black Bears continued to set the pace as their lead swelled to 69-37 on a layup by freshman Destiny Bleau late in the third.

Thill drained a jumper from the boulevard and Pederson added a steal and layup for an insurmountable 73-37 advantage early in the fourth.

“We always had a hand in their face,” Thill said. “They got into foul trouble which broke up their chemistry. We’re lucky to have eight-graders on varsity because they can gain experience.

Thill finished with 28 points. Senior Lila Morris hit five 3-point shots and scored 19. Bleau added 14 and Pederson had 12 for the Black Bears, who had 19 turnovers in the title game and 24 against Hannahville.

Senior Alyssa Martin scored 14 and McDonough added 11 for the Islanders.

Thill scored 25 points in the semifinals. Morris hit nine and Pederson and senior Macy Peterson added eight apiece. Eighth-grader Grayce Williams had six and senior Shyanna Halfday scored five for Hannahville, which advanced with Friday’s 34-24 conquest of Kinross Maplewood Baptist.

Beaver Island defeated Mackinac Island 53-27 in Saturday’s other semifinal.

Martin led the way with 19 points. McDonough tallied 13 and sophomore Haley Pease had 12 for the Islanders, who sank 11-of-13 free throws and had 17 turnovers.

Junior Lakelyn Bunker scored 10 points for the Lakers, who ended with 34 miscues.

Big Bay and Hannahville play again Wednesday. The Black Bears host Engadine and the Soaring Eagles travel to Bay Mills Ojibwe Charter.

Championship game

Beaver Island 16 9 12 7 — 44

Big Bay de Noc 26 19 24 25 — 94

Beaver Island — Martin 14, McDonough 11, A. Pease 3, Turner 2, H. Pease 3, Duffing 5, McGee 6. FT: 6-12; F: 17; Fouled out: H. Pease; 3-point field goal: Duffing.

Big Bay de Noc — Peterson 6, Bleau 14, Pederson 12, D. Morris 9, Thill 28, Harvey 6, L. Morris 19. FT: 14-26; F: 16; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: L. Morris 5, D. Morris.

Semifinal

Big Bay de Noc 19 20 13 8 — 60

Hannahville 4 3 6 6 — 19

Big Bay de Noc — Peterson 8, Bleau 4, Pederson 8, D. Morris 3, Durrance 3, Thill 25, L. Morris 9. FT: 5-11; F: 11; Fouled out: Nome; 3-point field goals: L. Morris 3, D. Morris, Thill.

Hannahville — Sithamat 3, A. Williams 1, Malinowski 4, Halfaday 5, G. Williams 6. FT: 1-2; F: 11; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Sithamat, Halfaday, Malinowski.