GUILFORD– To win tournament games, you need a balance attack. The Piscataquis Community High School (PCHS) got just that in a 63-49 win over Bucksport in a class C preliminary round game on Thursday night.
Bryce Gilbert (21) and Cameron Kane (19) combined for 40 points, while Damyan True (11) and Gilbert (9) combined for 20 rebounds.
The Bucks focused on trying to slow down Gilbert, who is the Pirates leading scoring and one of the most dynamic offensive players in Northern Maine.
That plan may have worked to perfection, if Kane and True didn’t step up. Kane finished with five three pointers, including three in the first half. True went 8-12 from the free throw line, including 6-6 in the second quarter.
Kane picked the perfect time to come up with his biggest offensive game. His 2 three pointers in the first quarter helped spread out the Bucks defense.
“The game plan was to keep things spread out. We knew they were probably going to box and one on me, so we ran a spread offense,”Gilbert said. “It was good to take some pressure off and make their defense spread out.”
Kane added, “it was (one of my better games) actually. It is a good time to come alive.”
PCHS (10-9) will take on second seed Fort Fairfield (17-1) in a Maine Principals’ Association class C North quarterfinal game on Tuesday, February 21st at 11:05 AM.
True recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds, and four steals. Dillion Drew added nine points, four rebounds, and three steals. Kane had three steals and two assists, Jarrod White scored two points and pulled down five rebounds, while Gilbert filled up the stat sheet with nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals to go along with his 21 points.
Andrew Allan led the Bucks with 17 points, Chase Carmichael added 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Tyson Gray scored seven points and pulled down six rebounds. Tanner Stegner scored six points (2 three pointers), while Jakob Donnell and Lucas Brann chipped in with five and four points respectively. Bucksport finishes the season with a 9-10 record.
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