PORTLAND- Cooper Flagg and his Montverde Academy teammates put on a show for the local fans again on Saturday night. Flagg had a game-high 29 points, as the Eagles cruised over CATS Academy out of Boston 105-58 at the Expo in night two of the Maine Event.
As they have done many times already this season, Montverde never trailed and jumped out quickly to a 10-1 lead. After CATS Academy trailed by 12, they made a small 5-0 run to get within seven before the Eagles went on a 9-0 spurt and weren’t really challenged the rest of the way for a second straight night. Cooper and his brother Ace Flagg combined for 10 points in the opening period, including a highlight dunk by Cooper off an ally-oop pass from Ace that was made from halfcourt. Caleb Gaskins converted a conventional three-point play to increase the lead to 30, outscoring CATS 29-17 in the second quarter for a 51-23 halftime lead. Cooper Flagg had 20 of his 29 points in the second half, including three makes from the three-point arc in span of about 90 seconds in his 13 point fourth quarter. Montverde would lead by as many as 49 in improving to 15-0.
Cooper Flagg added nine rebounds, two assists, and three blocks to his point total. Ace finished with his four points, and was very solid on the defensive end of the floor. Also contributing was Asa Newell with 20 points, Derik Queen and Liam McNeeley had 14 a piece, and Gaskins had 12 points. Patrick Otey had 18 points and Jaylen Harrell 17 to lead CATS Academy.
The opener of the night was between St. Paul’s and Kimball Union Academy, both from New Hampshire. Some familiar names to many Maine basketball fans are starters on the St. Paul’s team in Landon Clark from Bangor (Bangor High), and Teigan Pelletier from South Paris (Oxford Hills). Kimball Union won the game 65-46, but Clark and Pelletier showed what they could do. Pelletier had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Clark added nine points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots.
Recap/photos/videos by Chris Lessner
