GUILFORD– The Mattanawcook Lynx made 10 free throws in the final minute to secure a 73-66 boys basketball win over Piscataquis Community High School (PCHS) on Thursday night.
The Pirates jumped out to an 8-0 lead and held a 16-9 advantage after the first quarter. Mattanawcook scored the first nine points of the second quarter to take a lead. They built the score to 31-26 at halftime.
Bryce Gilbert came into the contest second on the all time PCHS scoring list. He needed 21 to pass Buddy Leavitt’s 1400 points. He ended the first half with 19 points. With 7:35 left in the third quarter, Gilbert converted a layup on an inbounds pass from Cam Kane.
The Lynx held a 48-43 lead after the third quarter as the teams played even 17-17. The Lynx built the lead to 10 (61-51) when Cayden Spencer-Thompson took a nifty pass from Alex Brown and slammed it home.
The Pirates cut the deficit to 63-60 with one minute left. PCHS decided to start fouling and the Lynx converted. Nate Ring made two free throws with 56.5 seconds remaining to make it 65-60. The Lynx went 10-12 from the free throw line in the final minute to secure the victory.
Logan Thompson scored 17 points (5 three pointers) to lead the way for the Lynx. Ring scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds. Spencer-Thompson finished with a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. Brown added 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Bailey Markee put in five points in the second half, while John Farrington and Jackson Weatherbee scored three and two points respectively. Mattanawcook finished the regular season 12-6 and will host a prelim game next week.
Gilbert led the Pirates with 38 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Eben Cooley added 11 points and four rebounds. Caleb Willis came off the bench to put in six points, Kane scored five points in the fourth quarter. Damyan True and Adam Bagley scores four and two points respectively. PCHS finished the regular season 11-7 and will host a prelim game next week.
- MA 9 31 48 73
- PCHS 16 26 43 66
3 pointers: MA- Thompson (5), Brown, Markee, Ring, Farrington: PCHS- Cooley (2), Kane, B. Gilbert
Rebounds: MA 30 PCHS 31
FT: MA 16-31 PCHS 22-26
