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North Central trounces Rapid River, 92-39

Logan Hardwick of Rapid River reaches for a rebound Thursday in Powers against North Central’s Jason Whitens (30). (Dennis Grall/The Daily Press Photo)

POWERS — What is domination?

Try this on for size. North Central scored 14 straight points over the opening 3:52 of the second quarter. When Rapid River finally scored in the quarter, Sam Orth scored the team’s 14th point.

Buoyed by that streak, the two-time reigning Class D state champion Jets pounded the Rockets 92-39 here Thursday in Skyline Central Conference action.

It marked the 57th straight victory for the Jets, who face two tough road tests before the holiday break, visiting Carney-Nadeau on Wednesday and Menominee Dec. 19. That game at Menominee was moved ahead from Feb. 13.

“We can’t look ahead to the next one,” North Central coach Adam Mercier said. “We have to be ready mentally and physically for a dogfight in their gym.”

The Jets are seven wins shy of Chassell’s state record win streak, but Mercier and senior Dawson Bilski both said that is not their focus.

“We’re not even concerned about that,” Mercier said of Chassell’s all-time mark.

Bilski, who poured in 34 points with some dazzling perimeter marksmanship, said a state title is the main goal.

“That is not our focus. We want to win another state championship,” he said. “That (win streak record) is in the back of our mind. Our big focus is on the state championship.”

Bilski, a Michigan Tech recruit, was 7 of 11 on 3-pointers and 12 of 18 overall.

“It is nice how the guys on my team get me wide open,” he said. “They drive to the hoop and kick it back out.”

The Jets led 45-20 at halftime, then Bilski hit five straight triples at the end of the third quarter in a 15-2 burst for a 67-26 lead to initiate running clock.

“Dawson is definitely a one of a kind ballplayer,” said Rapid River coach Rich Poma. With Bilski on target, the Jets hit 37 of 65 field goals overall and were 13 of 32 beyond the arc. Jason Whitens added 18 points and Trenton Schaff hit 10.

“We’ve got to keep shooting the basketball,” Mercier said. “Good things happen when we work around the perimeter and attack the hoop.”

The Jets also played solid defense, seldom allowing the Rockets good looks. “We did a better job staying between our guys and the basket in the last three quarters,” Mercier said.

That burst to open the second quarter got the Jets rolling after a rather ordinary opening period.

Despite the one-sided loss, Poma was able to find some positive points.

“There were a lot of bad points we can grow from,” he said. “Transition defense is one of them. Thankfully they showed us what we need to work on.”

He said it is a difficult assignment for normal Class D teams to match up with the explosive Jets. “How do you defend in a zone when they shoot over the top or in a man they beat us off the dribble and drive and kick it back,” he asked.

The Rockets, who hit 18-of-46 field goals and had 22 turnovers, make their home debut Monday against Bark River-Harris.

North Central, which had just three turnovers, won the jayvee game 50-29.

Rapid River 12 8 11 8 — 39

North Central 21 24 31 16 — 92

RAPID RIVER: LaCasse 2, T. Sundling 3, Gustafson 2, Pilon 3, Hardwick 9, Landis 8, Orth 8, Berglund 4. FT: 1-3. F: 10. 3PT: Sundling 1, Pilon 1.

NORTH CENTRAL: Schaff 10, Krachinski 9, Polfus 5, Dombrowski 6, Bilski 34, Kleiman 6, Whitens 18, Snyder 4. FT: 5-10. F: 7. 3PT: Schaff 2, Dombrowski 2, Bilski 7, Krachinski 1, Polfus 1.

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