AUGUSTA– The Greenville Lakers held off Woodland for a 47-46 Maine Principals’ Association class D boys basketball state championship win at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Lakers went on a 11-0 run to start the game and never trailed. Woodland followed with a 7-0 run. Greenville held a 13-8 lead after the first quarter and 22-16 at halftime.
Evan Bjork hit two of his four 3-pointers in the third quarter. Greenville held a 36-29 lead after the third quarter.
“That was huge not to get star struck or whatever in the big game,”Greenville coach William Foley said. “He(Bjork) didn’t get tight and just let it flow like we did all year.”
Woodland cut the deficit to two points until Nick Foley made two free throws to make it 45-41 with 1:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. Connor DiAngelo scored his only basket of the game to give the Lakers a 47-43 lead. Drew Hayward made a three pointer with 23.6 seconds left to get the Dragons within one point. Woodland had a shot at the buzzer but it fell short.
It is the first boys basketball state championship for Greenville (20-2) since 1954. Devin Boone led the Lakers with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Nick Foley had 14 points and three assists. Noah Pratt added five assists and three rebounds to go with his two points.
Boone said, “It means a lot for 64 years we haven’t had a state championship until today. It’s pretty amazing.”
Hayward led the Dragons with 13 points while Justin Worden added 10 points and seven rebounds. Woodland finishes the season with a record of 18-4.
