Delani Bennett (52) of PCHS goes up for a shot over Morgan Dauk (21) in the first half of a 52-40 PCHS Victory on Monday evening.
GUILFORD- Jordynne Littlefield scored 15 of her game high 23 points in the second half, to lead the Piscataquis Community High School (PCHS) Pirates to a 52-40 victory over George Stevens in a class C girls basketball contest on Monday evening.
Cora Gray scored the first basket of the game. That would be the only lead for the Eagles. Senior center Delani Bennett sparked a 9-0 run, as the Pirates took a quick seven point lead. They built the lead as high 10 (16-6) in the first quarter.
“She (Bennett) came out strong, she used her body well and got in position to make some easy baskets,”PCHS coach Brian Gaw said. “That really set the pace for the whole game.”
Haylee Patterson made a basket late in the second quarter, to give the Pirates a 27-16 halftime lead.
PCHS got the lead to 33-20, before Bennett left the game with her fourth foul with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter. George Stevens followed with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to four.
When Gaw and the Pirates needed someone to answer the bell, Littlefield was there. She made two shots to get the lead back up to eight. On two other occasions in the second half, Littlefield made big baskets when the Eagles started to cut into the PCHS lead.
“Jordynne (Littlefield) came up big, she hit a number of big shots when the tide was turning,”Gaw said. “You look back at it and you realize how important those baskets were when you haven’t scored for two or three minutes.”
George Stevens made one more run in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to six. Bennett scored five points down the stretch to seal the victory.
George Stevens junior leader Morgan Dauk recorded 15 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Erin Speed and Lexi Harris did a good job slowing one of the best players (Dauk) in class C down a bit. Speed also dished out six assists from the point guard position.
“I asked a lot of Erin (Speed) today, she also drew Morgan Dauk, she and Lexi Harris made her (Dauk) work for everything she got,”Gaw said. “She (Dauk) is a very good player, she seems to always get 14 or 15 points against us. For a player like her, that isn’t bad, I will take that.”
Bennett recorded 15 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, and two assists, while Patterson and Harris had four points each, and Speed and Trafton added three points each. Littlefield had three rebounds, three assists, and two steals to go along with her 23 points. The Pirates had 14 assists in their 20 field goals made. PCHS (2-0) will next play on Saturday afternoon at Dexter. You can hear live audio of that game at easternmainesports.com.
Mazia Smallidge recorded 10 points, four rebounds, and two steals, while Hannah Gutow added nine points, three steals, and two assists, and Gray put in four points. George Stevens (1-1) will travel to Calais on Thursday.
