LIMESTONE, Maine – Holding onto a fragile 32-29 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Washburn girls’ varsity basketball team went into a defensive stance to capture the 37-34 win over the Limestone Community School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics Thursday night.
“We were looking to stop their big people in the middle,” said Kelsee McLaughlin after the game. “We didn’t want them getting any easy shots in there.”
Indeed nothing came easily for the Lady Eagles, who tried to force the ball in the middle but found only 6-1 center Rachel Palmer. Palmer stole two balls and blocked a shot in the final four minutes to keep possession for the Lady Beavers.
Washburn, meanwhile, went to a full court trap, doubling up Limestone players whenever they got the ball.
“We normally stick with the zone,” McLaughlin said. “It’s basically because of their big people. We didn’t want to get spread out and give them easy shots.”
Limestone’s Julie Peers hit a jumper to tie the game at 34 with 1:39 left.
Washburn got a chance at an open three-pointer but the shot hit the rim and Peers pulled down the rebound. The Lady Beavers trapped Limestone/MSSM ball-handler Kellie Peers in the left corner, forcing a timeout. Hoping to spread out the Limestone defense, Washburn put in three-point shooting guru Morgan Berube, but a Palmer steal on the Limestone inbounds play, forced Limestone/MSSM to foul. Palmer hit both sides of the one-and-one to give the Lady Beavers a two-point lead.
Alex Bird added the final point for Washburn on a foul shot and the Lady Beavers went to a full-court press to trap Limestone in the back court as time ran out.
“We were just pretty much looking to have a strong defensive game,” McLaughlin said. “We had Rachel [in the post] and we were just looking for her if the shot was there.”
Both teams showed patience on offense, waiting for the inside shots to open up and went into the locker room tied at 16 after the first half.
Limestone/MSSM’s Britany King kept things close with a three-pointer in each half and both defenses had their “A” games on. Neither team allowed good looks at the basket and Washburn picked up five blocks and eight steals while Limestone/MSSM got five steals and one block.
Leading Washburn was Palmer with 16 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots while Erica McDougall added 10 points and seven rebounds. McLaughlin ended with eight points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
King led the Lady Eagles with 12 points followed by Julie Peers with nine.
Washburn improves to 4-3 on the season and moves into first place in the Eastern Maine Class D girls’ basketball standings while Limestone/MSSM falls to 4-1 and 10th place.
Washburn opens the new year Thursday as they travel to Mars Hill to take on Central Aroostook in a 7 p.m. start while Limestone/MSSM travels to Madawaska Wednesday and Fort Fairfield Saturday. Both games start at 7 p.m.
