Marquette Rolls Past Gladstone To Stay Undefeated

GLADSTONE---The Marquette High School boys basketball team showed Tuesday night why it is the top-ranked team in the Upper Peninsula, and the tenth-ranked team in the entire state in Class A. The Redmen went on a 19-2 run in the first half and cruised to a 70-39 Great Northern Conference win over the Gladstone Braves in Gladstone.

The Braves were in a 7-7 tie midway through the first quarter as Andy Olesak scored five points. But Marquette went on a big roll from there and never looked back.

"They're a good team," Gladstone Coach Dale Hongisto said. "They're long. They're fast. They shoot the ball well. They're well-coached. They're a better team than we are."

Marquette led, 21-9, at the end of the first quarter, and raced to a 32-11 advantage late in the second quarter as senior Andy Nyquist hit three straight three-point baskets.

Two of them came from NBA territory, more than 23 feet away from the basket.

Cameron Grant came off the bench to drain a pair of three-pointers, and Vejas Grazulis had three early baskets from inside the paint to help Marquette (11-0) build that lead.

"This game is in the past," Hongisto said. "That's why we call it 'history'. I don't care about Marquette anymore. They're a good team and I hope they do well. But we have to get ready for Kingsford now."

Nyquist led all scorers with 18 points, while Grazulis added 12 points for Marquette.

Jared Hunter scored nine points to lead the Braves, who fell to 5-7 on the season.

The Braves host another Great Northern Conference team this Friday night: Kingsford.

"We have no choice but to win that game," Hongisto said. "Losing is not going to be an option. It's a Great Northern Conference game. I just told my guys that during the next two days of practice that we have to stay focused.

"We can't let that one get away."

The Gladstone-Kingsford game will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The broadcast starts at 7:15.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box at the top of this page to see photos taken by Lori Jurek and videos taken by Nate Bellville.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

12/17	7:20 PM	Gladstone Braves	60 - 33 (W)

1/17	7:30 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	47 - 33 (W)

2/4	7:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	70 - 39 (W)

2/7	7:20 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	69 - 47 (W)