 |
| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography JUMPER — Caribou sophomore Dayne Savage gets up for a shot against Foxcroft’s Kaleb Smith in Saturday’s EM ‘B’ quarterfinal. |
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
BANGOR — The Caribou Vikings were shut down by the Foxcroft Academy Ponies’ 2-3 halfcourt zone defense on Saturday, leading to an early exit from the Eastern Maine Class B Tournament Saturday afternoon at the Bangor Auditorium.
The Vikes could not generate a sustained offense against the No 13-ranked Ponies, converting just 9 of 49 of their field goal attempts in the game, including a 4-of-21 effort from three-point land, leading to a 41-32 loss.
Caribou, which had reached the quarterfinals by virtue of a preliminary playoff overtime victory over Hermon last Wednesday, finished the season with a 14-6 record as the fifth seed.
Both teams started slowly, but when Caribou junior forward Derek Richardson picked up his second foul midway through the first quarter, forcing him to the bench, FA exploited his absence behind 6-5 junior center Kolby Kendall, who ended up with nine first-half points.
Meanwhile, Caribou struggled putting the ball in the basket throughout. In fact, they did not register a field goal in the third quarter and went 9 minutes and 39 seconds without a make until a Kameron Manter 14-footer 23 seconds into the fourth quarter.
By that time, the Vikes trailed 29-22. A free throw by Matt Milliard and a bucket by Richardson cut the Ponies’ lead to four, but Foxcroft scored the game’s next six points, including four Ryan Rebar free throws and a Hunter Smith hoop off a nifty pass from Rebar, to put the game away with a minute to play.
Caribou sophomore guard Dayne Savage struggled with his shooting throughout, going just 3 for 16 from the field and finishing with nine points. Herbert and Richardson combined to go 2 for 14, although both led Caribou with seven rebounds each.
Rebar finished with a game-high 18 points, including an acrobatic layup to beat the buzzer to end the third quarter that gave Foxcroft a nine-point lead. He scored 15 of his team’s final 19 points, including going 12 of 17 from the foul line. Kendall had a statistical double-double with 10 points and 11 boards and Kaleb Smith added nine rebounds. The Ponies enjoyed a 35-24 rebounding advantage in the game. They will next match up against No. 1 Medomak Valley of Waldoboro in today’s semifinal game at 8:35 p.m.
The Vikings had beaten Foxcroft Academy in their lone regular season meeting at home Dec. 31, 71-51.
Caribou advanced to the tourney by overcoming a seven-point deficit in the final 3-1/2 minutes to top Hermon in overtime, 47-43. Herbert scored 12 points, Savage and Milliard had 11 each and Richardson added nine for the winners. Tyler Thayer scored 20 to pace the No. 12 Hawks.
The Vikings will lose seniors Devin Berkoski and Nick Whitehead to graduation, but will have the top eight players in the team’s rotation back next season.
