By COLIN POWELL
The George Stevens Academy boys basketball team put up a season high 80 points in a blowout against Sumner on January 27, where they kept the Tigers to only 52 points. The game completes GSA’s sweep of Sumner this season, though the rest of their season has been a seesaw of wins and losses after opening the season with four straight wins.
The latest Sumner matchup was uneven from the beginning. Junior guard Nick Doolittle was seemingly everywhere on the court, with six of GSA’s 18 first quarter points, including one second-chance jumper off a solid offensive rebound. His fellow guard and junior Tom Crowe kept the momentum going into the second quarter, hitting big floor shots, while Doolittle frustrated Sumner’s offense inside the paint.
Sumner would call two timeouts in the second quarter, while trying to slow down a steam-rolling GSA offense. When the whistle blew to end the half, GSA had already netted 46 points, only five shy of their total in their loss to Narraguagus on January 25.
Throughout the third quarter, Sumner managed to make up some ground on their 22-point deficit after half. The third quarter started 55-38, and Sumner looked determined not to roll-over. Their defense started forcing GSA to take contested shots, and while some landed GSA players on the penalty line, others created break-away opportunities that Sumner was able to capitalize on, including one high-pressure three-pointer that caused the small Sumner crowd to erupt in applause.
Yet GSA held off the improbable comeback. Right after Sumner’s three, Tom Crowe took the ball and drained his own three, putting GSA up by 21 points with 3 minutes left and noticeably deflating the Sumner offense.
“We’ve been up and down this year—inconsistent,” said Coach Dwayne Carter after the contest. Before the game, Carter talked to his boys about just coming out and doing what they needed to do. As for the rest of the season, “we’ve gotta keep it going,” said Carter.
In back-to-back games on January 29 and 30, the boys dropped games to Mount Desert Island at home and Ellsworth on the road, bringing their record to 7-9 on the season. Still, they find themselves eighth in the Heal Point standings, compiled by the Maine Principals Association, because of the strength of their opponents.
Girls trade late-season games
Coach Allen said the MDI game would be a test going into the playoffs. Now the question is how will his girls respond after losing 35-50 on January 28. The win gives MDI a sweep over GSA this season, though the Eagles had their revenge against Ellsworth at home on January 30, sweeping that series with a slim one-point margin, 41-40.
The GSA girls now find themselves 10-6 on the season with two more to play. By publication time, a difficult contest with Central will have been decided on Wednesday, February 3, while their regular season concludes this Friday at Washington Academy.
Moore takes first in 135 class at PVC wrestling tournament
Josiah Moore continues to dominate his opponents, taking third in his new 135-pound weight class at the Penobscot Valley Conference Championship tournament on Saturday, January 30, in Lincoln. Head coach Jacob Sinclair said his team continues to do well in individual matches, with tournament placing difficult with so few weight classes fielded.
In a recent phone interview, Sinclair said the upcoming regional qualifier for the state tournament should be a good meet, as well. He said Moore is especially looking forward to a rematch with a wrestler from PVHS. “He lost to him by one point at the PVC championship,” said Sinclair. He added that a number of GSA wrestlers have a good chance to advance to the state tournament this year. The regional tournament will be held at Jay High School on Saturday, February 6, with matches beginning at 9:30 a.m. The state tournament this year will be held in Dexter the following Saturday.
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