Escanaba senior Nick Garcia loads up to attempts a 3-point shot during a game against Norway on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Norway High School. (Sean Chase/Daily News)

NORWAY — Every so often, a team catches fire from 3-point land, and all you can do is watch.

The Escanaba boys varsity team found itself in that exact situation on Friday in Norway. And the No. 3 ranked Knights put on a show.

Norway (14-4, 4-1) connected on 12 3-pointers in the contest and breezed to a 78-51 non-conference win over the Eskymos.

“They came out, at their home court and just banged away shots,” Eskymos’ head coach Tom Gereau said. “We left them too wide open. We had to get out there and close out on them, and we just didn’t do that in the first quarter.”

Noway seniors AJ Gallino and Mason Trudeau combined for eight 3-pointers in the first half.

“We shot the ball incredibly well,” Knights’ head coach Jeff Gallino said. “Mason and AJ were absolutely on fire in the first half, which propelled us for the rest of the game.”

Although it worked out, overwhelming Escanaba from deep wasn’t the game plan, but coach Gallino wasn’t complaining about the result.

“We were trying to penetrate and kick it out,” coach Gallino said. “They were just on tonight. It was fun to watch.”

Escanaba senior Adam Prey tallied the first basket on a mid-range jumper 10 seconds into the contest.

Then AJ Gallino went to work. The 5-foot 9 guard stepped into a straight-away three that found the bottom of the net.

“I knew it was going to be a good night after that one went in,” AJ Gallino said.

Eskymos’ sophomore Braden Cooper answered with back-to-back circus layups on the other end, and they led 6-3.

“He can get after it when he gets going,” Gereau said.

But AJ Gallino tied it up with another 3-pointer, clapping his hands together as it fell through. A few minutes later, he connected on his third of the quarter.

“I was just shooting with confidence,” AJ Gallino said. “My dad told me, ‘If you shoot with confidence, everything goes in.’ I just took his word for it.

“I’ve been cold the past couple of games. It was nice to get going.”

Trudeau capped off a 14-0 run for Norway on a corner 3-pointer, and it took a 20-8 lead into the second.

Prey and Taylor Asgaard scored four points for Escanaba in the next quarter, but it couldn’t slow down the Knights.

AJ Gallino and Trudeau each made two 3-pointers, senior Cole Baij pitched in six points and the lead ballooned to 20 at halftime.

During the break, Gereau focused on keeping things positive following Norway’s offensive onslaught from long range.

“It was all about their attitude and effort,” Gereau said. “That’s all I can ask of these guys. Keep on pushing with a good attitude and effort. Get after it, and play Eskymo basketball.”

It worked and Escanaba went on the attack in the third quarter. Cooper opened the scoring with a layup, sparking a 10-3 run in the first four minutes of the frame.

However, the Knights turned to Baij in the paint, and he scored three straight baskets, extending the lead to 19 points.

The Eskymos outscored Norway in the third, 20-18, with Cooper racking up 12 points.

“Sometimes we struggle with the third quarter,” coach Gallino said. “Our rotations were bad, and we need to clean that up.”

The Knights made two 3-pointers in the fourth and closed the game out with relative ease. While the third quarter showed room for improvement, coach Gallino is happy with where his team is.

“Overall, our kids are working hard, and there’s a lot of team chemistry right now,” coach Gallino said. “They’re playing together. They’re making the extra pass.”

Trudeau led all scorers in the contest with 23 points.

Norway also received contributions from AJ Gallino (21 points), Bryce Adams (6 points), Baij (17 points), Anthony Pineda (5 points) and Elliott Kraemer (6 points).

Cooper set the pace for Escanaba with 16 points.

The Eskymos also received contributions from Nick Garcia (2 points), Will Derkos (4 points), Prey (12 points), Owen Fields (3 points), Alex Morgan (4 points), Asgaard (8 points) and Hayven Sandoval-Nolde (2 points).

“We had some guys step up,” Gereau said. “Some of the sophomores stepped up and made some nice baskets. It bodes well (for our future). Younger guys are really looking to score. They’re not afraid. That’s going to help us big time.”

The Knights have won four in a row, but their toughest test yet is Tuesday when they welcome Forest Park (17-1 6-0), the No. 1 ranked team in Division 4, to town at 6:30 p.m.

“Our effort has to be phenomenal against Forest Park,” coach Gallino said. “They’re an incredible team, and we’re going to have to bring it.”

Escanaba is back in action on Wednesday at home for a Great Northern U.P. Conference battle with Marquette (14-2, 6-0) at 7:30 p.m. EST.

“We know Marquette, having already played them up there,” Gereau said. “We know they’re tough. They’ve been thumping pretty much everybody in the U.P. We know what we’re up against. It’s a big task, but we have to be out there and get on them.”