Escanaba sophomore Braden Cooper (white jersey) attempts to get to the basket during a game against Gwinn on Feb. 19, 2025 at Escanaba High School. (Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — With a rivalry showdown against Gladstone on Friday, Wednesday’s game against Gwinn, by all accounts, was a trap game for Escanaba boys’ basketball.

And after a second quarter which saw the Eskymos muster two points in the second quarter, all signs pointed to the game going toward that direction. But a mighty second half effort filled with experimentation and a strong showing from sophomore Braden Cooper proved to be the difference as the Eskymos earned a 40-31 win over the Modeltowners.

“We’ve been hungry for a win,” Esky coach Tom Gereau said. “I knew tonight was going to be tough because of the size (Gwinn has) down low.”

Facing an 18-12 deficit at intermission the Eskymos (8-13) needed to do something different to avoid their sixth-straight loss. So they made a few adjustments. First came slapping on a 2-2-1 full-court press in hopes of making Gwinn (8-13) have to think how to maneuver the ball up the entire length of the floor instead of maneuvering the ball once it got across half court.

On the offensive end, the Eskymos opted to try a four-high look against Gwinn’s zone defense, allowing players room to drive downhill against multiple tall, lengthy bodies.

In the third quarter, it all came together. The Eskymos forced five turnovers, and behind 11 points from sophomore Braden Cooper and five from sophomore Hayven Sandoval-Nolde the Eskymos turned an 18-12 deficit into a 30-25 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Cooper knocked down a pair of free throws and turned a steal into a layup to start the fourth quarter for a 34-25 lead. The Modeltowners clawed to within seven points on three occasions, but it’s as close as they got.

Cooper finished with a game-best 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting with five steals, four rebounds and three assists.

“He’s starting to find his way, and it’s only going to help us going forward,” Gereau said of Cooper. “The seniors are helping these young guys along. We have a young group outside of our seven seniors, but they (didn’t enter the season) with a lot of experience either. They’ve been really helping these guys along, making them work hard in practice. Now you see it in games.”

Now all eyes turn toward Friday’s matchup against the Braves. The Eskymos won the first meeting in Gladstone 38-36 on Dec. 20, 2024.

Whoever walks out of Friday’s game the victor has little time to celebrate. The two rivals collide again at 6 p.m. Monday in a district quarterfinal showdown in Gladstone.

“Nothing needs to be said,” Gereau said of Friday’s matchup. “We know what it is. We know what we’re getting into. We know it’s going to be a fight right to the end just like the first time around.”

Box score

Gwinn 11 7 7 6 — 31

Escanaba 10 2 18 10 — 40

Gwinn — Niemi 2, Carter 3, Murphy 5, Wixtrom 5, Hill 4, Sales 12; FT: 3-6; Fouls: 8; 3-point baskets: Carter 1, Murphy 1

Escanaba — Garcia 4, Prey 2, Asgaard 8, Sandoval-Nolde 5, Cooper 21; FT: 6-7; Fouls: 7; 3-point baskets: Sandoval-Nolde 1, Cooper 1