In this matchup of top-five Division 1-3 teams in each of the weekly Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association polls this winter, the Sentinels proved why they’re No. 1 after improving to 11-2. Westwood is at No. 4 with an 11-5 record after also losing to No. 2 Iron Mountain last week.

“You win by 21 points, you should be happy,” MSHS head coach Rich Ledy said. “That’s just not my nature, I guess.”

Ledy voiced some frustration with his team’s rebounding despite the decisive final margin and also the laugher of a 105-32 rout of struggling Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday.

“I was really disappointed in our lack of effort on the boards,” Ledy said about Tuesday’s game. “At the start of the fourth quarter, we had already given up 13 offensive rebounds. That’s just effort. I think we’ve got eight seniors. So, if they, if they haven’t figured out by now that this is their last draw, you know, they should know it.

Marquette’s Connor Fierstine, center, shoots during the second quarter while defended by Westwood’s Reid Frustaglio, left, and Caden Balzarini, partially hidden the right, during their high school boys basketball game played at the Barb Crill Gymnasium in Marquette on Tuesday. (Journal photo by Caden Sierra)

“We’ve got to keep working hard in practice so the games become easier.”

Each team came out with energy on Tuesday, trading baskets early on.

Marquette opened the scoring with a basket from Connor Fierstine, but Westwood’s Reid Frustaglio responded quickly, grabbing his own rebound and putting it back in to tie it 2-2. The Sentinels’ defense made an early impact, with Kyler Sager rejecting a shot inside, though they couldn’t capitalize on the other end. By the end of the first quarter, Marquette held a slim 17-13 lead.

The second quarter is where the Sentinels began to separate. A highlight-reel dunk from Jacob MacPhee off a feed from Jaxon Jurmu sent the home crowd into a frenzy, and back-to-back baskets from Sager extended the lead.

Westwood’s Caden Balzarini kept the Patriots in it with a 3-pointer, but Marquette’s inside presence proved overwhelming. By halftime, the Sentinels had built a commanding 39-24 advantage.

Marquette kept its foot on the gas in the second half, too. Max Lackey opened the third quarter with a quick bucket, and Ford Richardson followed with a layup and two free throws. A Jurmu triple stretched the lead beyond 20 points, forcing a Westwood timeout. By the end of the third, Marquette remained in control, leading 56-37.

The Patriots tried to mount a late push behind Frustaglio, who scored six quick points in the fourth to cut into the deficit. WHS showed fight, but Marquette’s response was immediate. Fierstine cleaned up a missed shot for an easy putback, and Richardson came up with a steal and layup to keep the Sentinels comfortably ahead.

Westwood trimmed its deficit to 65-50 with just over three minutes remaining, but a crucial basket by MacPhee and another score from Sager sealed the deal.

Ledy will look for more dominant rebounding from his Sentinels when they travel to Menominee for a game at 7:30 p.m. EST Friday. They also have three games next week — home vs. Gladstone at 7 p.m. Tuesday with two games in Traverse City over the weekend for the Northern Michigan Showcase.

Marquette plays host St. Francis at 7 p.m. that Friday, then faces Detroit Cass Tech also at the St. Francis gym at 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Westwood has a home against Manistique at 7 p.m. Friday, then plays at Ishpeming at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and at Manistique at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7.

Caden Sierra can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 551. His email address is csierra@nmu.edu.