NORWAYS DEFENSE SURROUNDS North Central’s Chloe Wells (32) in last Friday’s Skyline Central Conference game. Both teams begin district tournament play Wednesday. Theresa Proudfit/The Daily News Photo

IRON MOUNTAIN — The basics of basketball, or any sport, could well determine the outcome of postseason play.

First-year Iron Mountain Coach Katelynn Johnson believes in the “three h’s.”

“It depends on who wants it more,” Johnson said. “Hustle, heart and hard work, who ever has more will win.”

Michigan’s district tournament tips off tonight. The only area game has Kingsford (9-10) hosting Gladstone (11-9) at 6 p.m. The Great Northern Conference teams split during the regular season.

Kingsford-Gladstone winner hosts Boyne City or Escanaba in the Class B District 64 district semis Wednesday. The seven-team district with teams above and below “The Bridge” concludes Friday.

Class C District 94 starts Wednesday, with Norway (6-14) hosting Iron Mountain (5-20) and Ironwood (15-5) traveling to West Iron County (16-4). Norway or Iron Mountain will host the district championship at 6 p.m. Friday. The local rivals split during the season.

Ironwood, runner-up in the Indianhead Conference, faces a West PAC team for the first time this season. The Wykons, with nine players taller than 5-feet -8, will have a big height advantage.

“We’ve got to limit them to one shot and done,” Ironwood coach Kari Jacquart told Jason Juno of The Daily Globe. “If we don’t limit box out and they get putbacks, it’s going to be a long night for us.

“Usually our goals are for our defense to start good things on offense. We want to get as many points as we can in transition before they get their defense set up. Because we don’t have much depth, we try to use our speed as much as possible.”

Freshman McKenzie Boyd leads Ironwood with an 18 point per game average. Senior Taylor Mylly adds 16.8 points per game.

Forest Park (11-9), drawing an opening-round bye in Class D District 127, will face Ewen-Trout Creek (15-4) or Republic-Michigamme at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Eddie Chambers Gymnasium. The title game will be played Friday.

ETC recently defeated Dollar Bay 72-36 and impressed Blue Bolts coach Steve Krahling.

“They’ve got talent, size and good shooters,” Krahling said. “I think they’re good enough to give any team up here a battle.” 

In Class D District 126, North Dickinson (8-11) visits North Central (9-11) at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The winner will host the district finals Friday. The Nordics swept the regular season meetings.