The Caribou junior varsity girls’ basketball team split back-to-back thrillers with Houlton in recent action.
On Jan. 10 in Caribou, the Shiretowners defeated the Vikings, 49-47. With less than 30 seconds to play, Caribou elected to shoot a 3-pointer off a designed play and the shot went in and out. The Vikings then made a defensive stop and got a decent shot off which would have tied the score, but were unable to convert with 10 seconds left.
Freshman Gabbie Sutherland had a breakout game, scoring 23 points for the Vikings to lead the offense.
The teams were back at it in Houlton on Jan. 14. Caribou coach Marc Weeks said the game flow for this contest was wildly different than the first meeting, with Caribou prevailing 37-36. In a highly aggressive defensive game in which a total of five players fouled out, the Vikings built a five-point cushion with two minutes to play.
Houlton nailed a deep 3-pointer to pull to within two points with less than 30 seconds remaining and tied the game following a Caribou turnover with 14 seconds to go. Houlton was forced to foul Sage Dubay on a breakaway and she made one of two from the line to seal the victory. It was Caribou’s first win over Houlton in several years.
The JV girls now sit at 5-7 on the season entering a home contest against Orono Saturday, Jan. 19.
