Gladstone senior Alexa Wetthuhn, center, hoists the MHSAA Division 2 girls basketball regional championship trophy on Wednesday at Houghton Lake High School. (Photo courtesy Escanaba Daily Press)

HOUGHTON LAKE — For the first time since 2012, the Gladstone High School girls basketball team gets to call itself a regional champion.

Behind a dominating defensive showing and 28 points from junior phenom Lillie Johnson, the Braves pulled off a 49-31 victory over Fremont in their MHSAA Division 2 regional championship game played Tuesday at Houghton Lake High School.

“We knew it was going to be tough,” Braves senior Mayce Hanson said. “We knew they were very physical. We knew we just had to fight back as well as we could.”

The Braves face Frankenmuth in the state quarterfinal round at 7 p.m. Tuesday. That game is currently scheduled for Shepherd, just south of Mount Pleasant.

“It’s starting to feel like we belong here,” Hanson said. “I think we’re starting to prove that slowly.”

Gladstone entered Wednesday’s regional title game fresh off the heels of a red-hot shooting performance, draining 10 3-pointers in a 68-36 semifinal win over Sault Ste. Marie on Monday.

But the first half of Wednesday’s regional title game was not the same. In fact, the Braves’ start was the exact opposite — the Braves were 0 of 18 on triples in the first half.

And it wasn’t for a lack of effort. The Packers attacked Gladstone with their patented diamond press and 2-3 zone defense.

The Braves did break free of the initial first wave of in-your-face pressure the diamond press provided. Sharp, cross-court passes were connecting. But 3-point shots weren’t falling. Shots were as stubborn as a toddler making its case for an ice cream cone.

Defensively, though, the Braves denied the Packers any breathing space. Gladstone’s own intense, in-your-face man-to-man defense proved to be too much. The Packers were bottled up in scoring just 16 first-half points.

And despite a rather putrid shooting performance, the Braves led 22-16 at intermission.

“We kept relying on our defense,” Gladstone coach Andy Cretens said. “Defensive rebounding was key when we weren’t hitting shots. Then we did a great job moving the ball when we needed to.”

Johnson started connecting from downtown for the Braves’ first successful 3-point shot of the game in the third quarter. And she didn’t stop there. Just like in the third quarter against Sault Ste. Marie, Johnson took over the game once again.

She netted 14 of her 29 points in the third. And with a triple from sophomore Eva Pankonien and a free throw from junior Addy Blowers, the Braves built a 41-22 lead entering the final quarter.

“She took it to another level,” Cretens said of Johnson. “We as coaches have seen that she has another gear. Other people think that there’s no way she has another gear. She showed that she has another gear.”

For the 18th time this season, the Braves held their opponent to under 40 points. And with the win, the Braves’ magical underdog run stays alive into next week.

“We weren’t suppose to get out of our districts, losing to Negaunee twice. They were suppose to beat us in the district (title game),” Cretens said, “We haven’t done this in 13 years. We just weren’t picked to do it. This feels good.”