GLADSTONE — The No. 2 Gladstone girls were in control all the way here Friday as they rolled to a 61-25 basketball triumph over the Menominee Maroons on Pink Out Night for Cancer.

Gladstone gained a 22-4 lead on a 20-foot jump shot from the right wing by junior guard Addy Blowers near the end of the first quarter of this Great Northern Conference match-up.

Menominee temporarily found the range from behind the arc early in the second stanza as it sank three, including a jumper from 22 feet by junior guard Lexi Marineau to shave its deficit to 24-13.

The Braves (14-1 overall, 5-0 GNC) answered with a 15-0 run which extended into the third frame, climaxed on a lay-in by junior Lillie Johnson for a 38-13 cushion.

Johnson finished her night with a 12-foot turn-around jumper for a 52-19 advantage late in the third.

The Maroons (5-10 overall, 0-4 league), who struggled against tight man-to-man defensive pressure as the Braves hiked their advantage to 60-23 with 2:42 left to play when freshman Malia Quigley split a pair of free throws.

“We executed well on both ends of the floor tonight,” Braves’ coach Andy Cretens said. “We knew the spots they wanted to be in and were able to take some of those away.”

A five-foot jumper by sophomore Eva Pankonien gave the Braves an early 9-0 lead.

Gladstone extended its lead to 14-1, then outscored the Maroons 8-3 through the remainder of the opening frame.

“I thought we didn’t adjust well to their shooters in the first half,” Menominee coach Lucas Chouinard said. “Ava (Chouinard) was able to get to her spots and hit a couple 3s. We were getting open shots. Only, it’s a matter of knocking those down. We do not have a lot of firepower on offense. It’s hard to come back from that kind of deficit. We have to come out with more urgency on offense. Credit to them. They were able to do that for four quarters.”

Johnson led the Braves with 13 points. Blowers scored eight of her 11 points in the first quarter. Pankonien also tallied 11 points and senior Mayce Hanson had 10.

“When Addy and Eva are hitting their shots it can change the game for us,” Cretens said. “They were face guarding Lilly and trying to take her out of the game. This was one of our most well-rounded games this year. This is the first time we scored four in double digits and every girl scored at least a basket. Addy did a real good job defensively and is someone who creates for us.”

Ava Chouinard was Menominee’s leader with 10 points.

“Addy played hard defense,” coach Chouinard said. “They did a good job with their help defense and were making shots when they needed to.”

The Maroons committed 22 turnovers and the Braves had 14.

“To do that in a half-court defense feels good,” Cretens said.

The cancer fundraiser brought in $3,641 for Harlow Jane.

Gladstone visits Escanaba Monday at 7 and travels to Menominee Wednesday. The Maroons are at Kingsford on Monday.

Box score

Menominee 4 9 6 6 — 25

Gladstone 22 13 17 9 — 61

Menominee — Doyle 2, Chouinard 10, Coduti 4, Milostan 5, Schuettpelz 1, Marineau 3. FT: 2-6; F: 15; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Chouinard 2, Coduti, Milostan, Marineau

Gladstone — Blowers 11, Quigley 3, Hanson 10, Pankonien 11, Ostlund 4, Reynolds 3, Johnson 13, Wetthuhn 6. FT: 7-15; F: 12; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goals: Blowers 3, Pankonien 2, Ostlund