Pierce Walston had a double double with a game-high 29 points, and Ben Francis added 17 points on Thursday night in lifting the Orono Red Riots to a 70-56 Class B boys basketball win over the Ellsworth Eagles at Kasaficas Gym in Ellsworth.
In a rematch of the Class B Northern Maine Final from February that was won by Orono on their way to their first state championship since 1981, the Red Riots used a big run to take control that stretched from the first quarter and into the second. After Chance Mercier scored to make it 8-4 Ellsworth, Orono ran off 19 straight points with Walston and Ben Francis combining for 10 of those. A three-pointer by Caden Gray on the first possession of the second period made it 23-8 in favor of the visitors to cap off that spurt. The Eagles cut the deficit to seven, and would trail 32-24 at halftime sparked by eight second quarter points by Isiah Corson.
Orono pushed the advantage back to 13 early in the third quarter, before Ellsworth made one more run to trim the lead. A rebound and a putback layup by Corson finished off an 11-2 Eagles run to make it 41-37. The Red Riots got a three point play by Walston and two free throws by Ben Francis before the end of the period to regain some control and make it a nine point lead. Despite a big fourth quarter by Mercier (12 points), Ellsworth never got closer than eight in the final eight minutes in falling to 2-1 on the season. It is their first loss in the regular season (excluding the COVID year) since they fell to Caribou on January 24, 2020.
Walston along with his game-high in points had 14 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals and shot 12-21 from the field in the win for 3-0 Orono. Ben Francis added six rebounds to his 17 points. Will Francis also chipped in seven points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Mercier finished with a double double in the losing cause for Ellsworth with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Corson ended up with 10 points, while Josiah James-Chin contributed seven points. The Red Riots return to action Saturday afternoon when they host Hermon, while the Eagles play at home again next Wednesday against MDI.
Recap by Chris Lessner
Orono guard Pierce Walston goes to the basket during the Class B Northern Final against Ellsworth back in February in Bangor in a game the Red Riots won on their way to a state championship victory. Walston led Orono with a double double on Thursday night in the rematch with the Eagles in a 70-56 win road win at Ellsworth. File photo by Lisa Prescott
