Spartans lose season finale at Grand Rapids

The Superior Boys Basketball team had its 11-game win streak snapped with a 75-61 loss at Grand Rapids Thursday night.

Alex Illikainen’s 21 points and 17 rebounds keyed the Thunderhawks’ home win over the Spartans, the top-ranked team in the area who fall to 18-3 on the season.

No. 10 Grand Rapids (16-5) used a 43-26 second-half rally to erase Superior’s 35-32 halftime lead.

Nick Mehlum led Superior with 21 points. Jordan Hughes and Erick Tunell added 11 points apiece.

Up next for the Spartans is the WIAA tournament. Superior, the No. 1 seed, gets a bye and will host the winner of the Chippewa Falls-Wausau West game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22.

The winner of Friday’s game will play again on Saturday, Feb. 23.

Superior 35-26—61

Grand Rapids 32-43—75

Superior — Ben Erickson 1, Jordan Hughes 11, Carter Anderson 3, Nick Mehlum 21, Derek Kontny 6, Bryan Sanders 2, Erick Tunell 11, Anthony Valentine 6. Totals 22 12-22 61.

3-point goals — Kontny 2, Hughes, Anderson, Tunell.

Grand Rapids — A.J. Watland 21, Evan Reitter 4, Trevor Elhard 2, Abe Margo 2, Justin Gill 16, Alex Illikainen 21, Sam Smokrovich 9. Totals 26 19-30 75.

3-point goals — Watland 2, Gill, Smokrovich.

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