Camden's Back-to-Back
The Windjammers kick off a late season back-to-back
In the Game of the Day, the Edward Little girls used a 34-14 stretch to erase a 7 point deficit and pull away for a 53-35 win over Hampden. The Eddies held Grace LaBree to 8 points and got 14 from Elizabeth Galway to move to 13-1.
A couple of weeks ago, Brunswick's Logan Gray made headlines when he picked up two dunk technicals in the same game, which of course ended his night and earned him a 1-game suspension. Last night, he didn't take long to get up and throw one down.
Thankfully, there was no technical and we played on. Did the refs later call a technical because a kid clapped too loud? They sure did.
This was a physical, back and forth game in a playoff-like atmosphere. Both schools had a rowdy student section, which is always fun. And there was singing.
@mainebasketballrankings1 I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m down. #highschollbasketball #studentsection
♬ original sound - Maine Basketball Rankings - Maine Basketball Rankings
It was a frenetic battle. By my count, there were 4 stoppages for blood. In the second half, Camden started to pull away a little bit and Nolan Ames turned some tough defense into an emphatic dunk.
But Brunswick wouldn't go away. They kept it a 2 possession game for the entire game, minus a minute where Camden led by 7. A Rylan Lew 3-point play with 2:30 left got them within 1, but they wouldn't score again, despite getting a bunch of pretty good looks, and Camden held on for a 55-52 win to stay unbeaten. Nolan Ames had 30 for the Windjammers, who have Cony tonight on a back-to-back. Logan Gray gave Brunswick 18.
I'll just say that a back-to-back of Brunswick and Cony is a much bigger thing than it was 2 months go
If that's a Regional Final preview, it could be a hell of a Regional Final.
Things didn't look great for the Maranacook boys last night. One of their fans got thrown out by their Athletic Director for, uh, too much job performance feedback for the officials. And, worse, they were down 20 at halftime to Mount View.
Sometimes, a coach will get a technical to try and snap his team out of a funk. That could be what the fan was thinking: get himself tossed as a sacrificial lamb to rally the troops.
You can't argue with results. Maranacook turned a 41-19 deficit into a 63-60 win. Gage Mattson led the way with 17.
The win moves them into second place in the Heal Points, but they very likely won't stay there. The Tourney Odds have them at 87.7% to finish third. They've played two more games than Spruce Mountain, who is currently in third.
They don't actually control their own destiny for the 2 seed. They'll need help.
Mike Mandell was there.
Mike MandellStaff Writer
Fisher Tewksbury entered last night's game needing only 9 points to become Valley's all-time leading scorer. Early in the third quarter, he got there.
Tewksbury finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds as Valley pulled off the rare double cross-class win, beating Hall-Dale 58-49 to even the season series. Tayshaun Cleveland had 27 for the Bulldogs.
In a rematch of last year's state title game, Windham once again beat South Portland. Tyrie James (17 & 8) was his usual stellar self, but Windham got a huge contribution from sophomore Boston Krainis, who came off the bench to knock down 3 threes.
The win--Windham's 12th in a row--vaults the Eagles to the top of A South and virtually assures they'll be the 1 seed when the Tourney starts. South Portland will very likely be the 3 seed, which means if they were to meet again, it'd be in a Regional Final.
"It was a great test for us," [Windham coach Chad] Pulkkinen added. "We just worry about the next possession and our guys stick together. They talk to each other and trust each other. When we do that, the next play is available and we take advantage. Closing games and keeping leads has been a nemesis. If we get good possessions, we'll have more points on the scoreboard."
Michael Hoffer was there with his usual excellent gamer (and they have video now!)
Michael Hoffer
Mt. Ararat's Cali LeClair set a school record with 8 3-pointers and went off for 32 points in the Eagles' win over Messo. The win, coupled with Edward Little's win over Hampden, shakes up A North Girls. Man, is that close.
The Madawaska girls won their first game of the season and they made it worth the wait with a thrilling, 59-58 win over Fort Fairfield.
Congratulations!
Elsewhere
Carter Calvo had 18 in Winslow's win over Nokomis...Adam Maxwell scored 16 in Yarmouth's win over Greely...Dylan Gendron went off for 31 and Sanford withstood Deering's furious rally down 19. Rayan Mohamed led Deering with 24...Jacob Linkletter's double-double (22 & 11) led Madison over Telstar...Darren Flagg hit 7 threes and dropped 25 in Leavitt's win over Oak Hill...Kylie Lamson scored 17 in Cheverus' win over TA...Dirigo's Abby Luczynski dropped 23 on Buckfield...Silas Nielsen had 20 & 17 in Sacopee Valley's win over OOB...Bryson Saucier went for 28 in Skow's win over Oxford Hills. Cam Pulkkinen had 26 for the Vikings...Wells got 18 from Josiah Leighton against Waynflete...Adam Fitzgerald went off for 28 in Scarborough's victory over Bonny Eagle...Micah Fagonde drilled 6 3's and scored 21 in Medomak's win over Erskine...Cooper Abell had 17 in Mt. Blue's win over Brewer...Owen Hurd went off for 30 in Lisbon's win over NYA...Kennebunk got 21 from Kendall Therrien in their win over Falmouth...Helena Sheldrick's 17 led Lake Region against Cape...Marshwood's Natalie Lathrop dropped 20 on Massabesic...OOB's Corinne Androkitis went for 20 against Sacopee Valley...Mollie Puffer scored 17 as Sanford rolled over Deering...Megyn Mertens' 23 & 12 paced Wells past Waynflete...Valley's Kirsten Bigelow dropped 26 on Hall-Dale...Mike Giordano won his 350th game in Scarborough's come-from-behind victory over Bonny Eagle...Chris Thompson had 22 in Kennebunk's win over Falmouth...Ben Albertini had 18 as Freeport turned away Lincoln Academy...Cheverus' Khaelon Watkins dropped 23 on TA...Will Whited went off for 31 in Central Aroostook's win over Wisdom...Quin Pelletier had 18 in Madawaska's win over Fort Fairfield.
Maine Basketball Rankings is only made possible by our subscribers
To get more data, game predictions, and more
Subscribe now
And now, a special message from Ethan Snow:
Let's head to the B North girls gauntlet, where Hermon is hosting Lawrence.
Hermon has won 4 in a row and currently sits in third place in the Heal Points, despite being 9th in the region in point differential at +34. How? Well, they swept Old Town, who's in second place and beat Ellsworth and there's a lot of heal points in those three wins.
Lawrence is 4th in point differential at +167, but is currently tied with Ellsworth in 5th. But whereas Hermon has 3 wins against teams in the Top 25, Lawrence only has 1--an opening night win over Oceanside.
The winner gets the inside track on the 3 seed.
The Model's picks for the rest of today's games are after the jump.