Click the thumbnails to see photos, videos, and to hear post-game comments from Cody Noel, Javon Stevenson, and the Jets' Matthew Schutz and Levi Frahm

ESCANABA---The Painesdale-Jeffers Jets boys basketball team waited almost a full year to get revenge for a loss they suffered in Escanaba at the end of the 2023 season. That night, the Jets had the lead but ended up losing to the Eskymos in overtime.

Well, appropriately, this Friday night's game also went to overtime. But this time, the Jets left town with a 75-68 victory that improved their record to 20-1 as the regular season comes to an end.

The Jets got a career-high 37 points from Matthew Schutz, and fellow senior Levi Frahm had a big second half to finish with 21 points.

“It felt good,” Schutz said. “I hit shots. We needed somebody in the first half and I had to get it done for the team. It's my career high! This is the biggest game of the year for us, I think. They're a Class B school, and we're a Class C. But it's a big game.”

“It feels good to get revenge for last year, and to come in here and take care of business,” Frahm said.

Escanaba, meanwhile, had the feeling of letting one slip away on a night where there was very physical play most of the way.

“It was definitely hard and I was getting fouled a lot,” Eskymo center Cody Noel said. “I've got to go up stronger. I've got to finish through it.”

“Regardless, I've just got to finish, man,” Eskymo forward Javon Stevenson said. “There's nothing you can do about it if they're not calling it (fouls). You've just got to play through it.”

The game was close all the way, with Escanaba leading at halftime, 35-32, and the Eskymos held a 54-50 lead entering the fourth quarter. And after a Cody Noel basket inside the paint, Escanaba had a 58-51 lead with 6:27 left in regulation time.

But the Eskymos turned the ball over, and Chase Kinnunen made them pay with a triple that cut the Escanaba lead to 58-54. Moments later, Frahm drained a triple of his own, making it a 58-57 game.

Eskymo senior Shane Wallin turned things around quickly by nailing a long triple, and then getting a steal and a driving lay-up to give Escanaba a 63-57 lead with just over two minutes left on the clock.

Jeffers had a response, and it was Frahm who scored with 1:08 left to give the Jets a 64-63 lead (after the Eskymos had another turnover). Wallin replied for the Eskymos to pit them back in front, and a great defensive possession forced a missed shot and sent Wallin to the free throw line with 15.2 seconds to play.

Wallin made the first shot, but missed the second, leaving the Eskymos ahead 66-64. The Jets came up court, passed to Frahm in the corner, and as he heaved up a shot that hit the side of the backboard, a late whistle from the referee. It was a foul on Javon Stevenson, and Frahm had a chance to give his team the lead with 5.4 seconds to play with three free throws.

Frahm missed the first one, and swished the second one. His third free throw hit the rim, hung on it, and rolled around before falling in, tying the game at 66-66.

“Roller coaster of emotions,” Frahm said. “I mean, was it in, was it not? I really thought after it went out the second time that it would stay out, but it dropped. I'll take what I can get.”

A David Romps desperation heave at the buzzer was short, and the game went to overtime. Again.

This time, though, the Jets controlled the overtime period, including one sequence where they dribbled nearly two minutes off of the clock as the Eskymos sat back in a zone defense.

Kinnunen had the dagger as he attacked the basket for a lay-up, and Wallin's triple try was blocked by Schutz.

Escanaba did not score a basket in the overtime period, making just two free throws in the loss.

“We had to keep our composure,” Frahm said. “We handled the ball pretty well. They're physical, so we just had to take care of the ball and play our game. Play our pace. We had the lead, so we didn't need to score. Lots of physicality down here and that's what we need.”

“We hit big shots in the fourth,” Schutz said. “We didn't rebound, but we got it done. I mean, 44 (Cody Noel) is a big boy, but we finished it out.”

“It was a great game,” Noel said. “They had fans, our stoodie (student section) was great. There's been plenty of games where we didn't finish, but it sucks to come up short.”

“It's great when people come out to the games,” Stevenson added. “But we'e got to come out with a win. Regardless of who they are. We just didn't finish. We had them. But we didn't finish.”

Jeffers (20-1) will close its regular season next Thursday night at home against Ewen-Trout Creek. Escanaba (9-10) have road games next Wednesday in Gwinn and next Friday in Gladstone.

FRIDAY'S OTHER UPPER PENINSULA SCORES

Menominee 61, Gladstone 48
Forest Park 79, Bark River-Harris 48
Gwinn 38, Calumet 35
Cedarville 66, Engadine 19
Ishpeming 56, Manistique 44
North Dickinson 78, Carney-Nadeau 40

Iron Mountain 80, Hancock 31
Norway 71, North Central 58
Rapid River 53, Mid Peninsula 38
Big Bay deNoc 66, Republic-Michigamme 51
St. Ignace 73, Newberry 12
Sault Ste. Marie 58, Rudyard 50
Lake Linden-Hubbell 58, Stephenson 50