HERMON, Maine- Isaac Varney had a team high 15 points and also scored his 1,000th career point in the third quarter Saturday evening, as the Hermon Hawks rallied for a 46-42 win over the Caribou Vikings at Hermon High School in a Class B North boys basketball showdown. The Caribou loss snaps a 27 game winning streak dating back to last season for the defending state champions.
Both teams held a minimal lead in the opening quarter by no more than three points as the first eight minutes ended tied 8-8. Caribou (11-1) took the biggest lead of the game in the second quarter helped by six points from Parker Deprey and seven from Alex Bouchard to build a 26-15 advantage. Varney hit a last second three-pointer to make it 26-18 at halftime.
Hermon (11-2) came out and showed some fight in the third quarter, including an opening basket by Varney that was the milestone for the senior forward. The Hawks finally caught the Vikings when Trey Brown knocked down a three-pointer with 1:10 to go in the period to tie it 31-31. Caribou though led 33-31 headed for the fourth. The hosts took their first lead since the first quarter at 36-35 early in the final eight minutes on another bucket by Varney, before Bouchard hit back to back jumpers to restore a 39-36 Vikings lead. Deprey made it 42-38 Caribou with a three-pointer a short time later. With the score 42-40 in favor of the visitors with two minutes left, Wyatt Gogan knocked down a huge three-pointer to give Hermon a 43-42 lead they wouldn’t give back with 1:30 remaining. Varney hit two from the line with just under a minute left to make it 45-42, and after a Caribou turnover Jaeden Henderson hit 1-2 from the charity stripe for a four point lead with 23.8 seconds showing on the clock. The Vikings tried to make something happen in the final seconds, but the Hawks defense deflected two passes including one into the backcourt that Deprey picked up and heaved from halfcourt that missed everything and went out of bounds. Hermon inbounded the ball and ran out of the clock.
Caribou guard Alex Bouchard (#5, maroon) receives an inbounds pass during third quarter action against the Hermon Hawks at Hermon High School on Saturday, January 18, 2020. Hermon won the game 46-42. Photo by Chris Lessner.
Varney added 11 rebounds and three blocks to his team high point total in the Hermon win (10 pts in the second half). Zac Tubbs added 11 points. Eli Reed had seven, Henderson had seven, Brown had three, and Gogan also added three points (game winning three-pointer) and contributed nine rebounds. The Hawks host Orono next Saturday. Deprey led Caribou in the loss with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. Bouchard finished with 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Jacob Berkoski had three points, and Sawyer Deprey and Ethan Holdsworth each added two points a piece. The Vikings host Foxcroft on Monday night.
CAR (11-1) 8 18 7 9- 42
HER (11-2) 8 10 13 15- 46
CARIBOU (42)
P. Deprey 8-0-18, Bouchard 8-1-17, Berkoski 1-0-3, Holdsworth 1-0-2, S. Deprey 0-2-2, Herbert, Marker
Rebounds: 20/Three point goals: P. Deprey 2, Berkoski/Free throws: 3-3/Turnovers: 8
HERMON (46)
Varney 6-2-15, Tubbs 4-2-11, Henderson 2-1-7, Reed 3-0-7, Gogan 1-0-3, Brown 1-0-3
Rebounds: 25/Three point goals: Henderson 2, Varney, Gogan, Reed, Brown, Tubbs/Free throws: 5-6/Turnovers: 11
