WIRE TO WIRE: Braves Top Eskymos In Round #1

ESCANABA---Round one goes to the Gladstone Braves.

The Braves boys basketball team led from start to finish Friday night and beat the Escanaba Eskymos, 69-45, at the Escanaba High School Gym.

Brad Spindler led the way again for Gladstone, pouring in 32 points, and he did it from both inside and outside.

But it was far from the Brad Spindler Show, as the Braves played excellent team defense and also had two more players score in double figures.

Rudy Peterson scored 14 points and Reece Castor added 13 for the Braves, who improve to 2-1 on the season, bouncing back from Tuesday's heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Marquette. The Braves made nine three-point baskets, with Spindler getting three of them.

Escanaba (1-2) got 15 points from Tyler Willette, and eight apiece from Jared Nash and Ryan Robinette. The Braves led, 16-10, after the first quarter, and then blew the game open in the second quarter by outscoring the Eskymos, 21-8, to lead at the half, 37-18.

This game was the first salvo in what will be three match-ups between the Delta County rivals. There will be a regular season game in Gladstone, and the two teams will square off in Escanaba in the district tournament opener in March.

In each of the last two seasons, Gladstone has won both regular season games, but Escanaba won in the districts.

In the junior varsity game Friday night, Gladstone led by as many as ten points before Escanaba rallied to win a marathon, 74-68, in double overtime.

Escanaba is scheduled to travel to Houghton on Saturday for a make-up game against the Gremlins.

Gladstone is at home on Monday against Mid Peninsula. That game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and video highlights taken by Nate Bellville.