Justin St. Ours/Daily Press Photo Kingsford’s Andrew Paupore shoots a 3-pointer Friday.

ESCANABA — The Escanaba boys basketball team was down one of its most consistent scorers Friday due to illness, but Bryant Maki stepped up with a career-high 21 points to lift the Eskymos over Kingsford 65-56 with a lopsided second quarter.

Esky (10-5, 5-1 GNC) entered the second quarter of the Great Northern Conference contest leading 17-16.

“We didn’t have our top scorer (Peyton Fedell),” Esky coach Tracy Hudson said. “(After the loss against Menominee Tuesday), our backs were kind of against the wall, knowing you have to win this game to get a chance to play for a conference championship next week (at Marquette). We wanted to find a way, whether it was one point or five points.”

Esky’s Connor Smale kicked off the second quarter with a triple less than 30 seconds in. However, both team ratcheted up their defensive efforts, and it wasn’t until Maki sank two from the free throw line with 5:47 left in the half that the Eskymos found some momentum. Shortly after, Maki sank a jumper to make it 24-16.

“Bryant Maki was very dialed in,” Hudson said. “We didn’t have Peyton Fedell — he was sick. We got through it, and Bryant Maki had his best game.”

Fifteen seconds later, Kingsford’s Andrew Paupore made his fourth triple of the game to keep the Flivvers (4-9, 0-6 GNC) within striking distance, but Colin Hudson answered for the Eskymos with a triple of his own.

“I was proud of our guys,” Flivvers coach Dan Olkkonen said. “Andrew Paupore’s been good lately. With him hitting those 3s in the first half, I think it forced (Escanaba) into man (defense), and that helped us out. The blocked shots and the defensive plays (Escanaba) had with their wingspan made it difficult for us.”

Rising to the challenge, Kingsford went on a 6-0 run to pull within 27-25 with 3:20 left in the half.

Maki then stepped up on Esky’s next possession with a 3-point play to begin an 11-1 run heading into halftime.

“We were disappointed in the second quarter,” Olkkonen said. “I felt like we didn’t get the rebounds, and again, you’re trying to out-jump (kids who are) 6-4 and 6-5. Our security and box-out has to be there, and that’s what we worked on in the second half.”

The Flivvers closed to within five in the third on a 6-0 run by Cole Bracket and came within four in the fourth on the strength of back-to-back triples from Paupore, but couldn’t pull any closer.

“I’m very proud of how hard they played,” Olkkonen said. “Cole Bracket just has a toughness about him. He gets himself to the basket. I think we had five steals in the first half and no points off of them. Points off of turnovers is a huge stat for us, and when you don’t get any, it takes the wind out of your sails.”

Maki added nine rebounds and three steals to his 21 points. Colin Hudson added 13 points, while Carter Hudson chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

“Colin Hudson was a young player off the bench — he did a good job, and Jared Hanson (did as well),” coach Hudson said. “We had to rely on some guys we haven’t had to rely on this year. We (ground) it out to get the chance for a Great Northern Conference championship.”

The Flivvers were led by Paupore with 21 points on seven triples, and Bracket followed with 19.

Escanaba travels to Marquette Thursday. Kingsford, which won the JV game 76-73, visits West Iron County Tuesday.

Cole Myllyla scored 21 in Kingsford’s 56-42 frosh victory.

Kingsford 16 12 14 14 — 56

Escanaba 17 21 12 15 — 65

KINGSFORD: Paupore 21, Bracket 19, Kopp 8, Meneguzzo 5, Nora 2, Bilgreen 1. F: 14; Fouled out: none; FT: 8-17; 3-point field goals: Paupore 7, Meneguzzo 1.

ESCANABA: Maki 21, Colin Hudson 13, Carter Hudson 12, Smale 7, Frazer 5, Hanson 5, Johnson 2. F: 12; Fouled out: none; FT: 4-11; 3-point field goals: Colin Hudson 3, Smale 2, Frazer 1, Hanson 1.