Grades 5-6 league ends
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Recreation and Parks Department held its playoffs for grades 5-6 basketball teams last week, with the Liberty capturing the girls’ title and the Bulls taking the boys’ championship.
In the girls’ finale, the No. 3 Liberty tried to hand the top-seeded Lynx its first loss of the season, but Alana Legassie had different ideas as she exploded for a game-high 22 points in the 28-14 victory.
Meg Casavant chipped in with the other six points for the victors, who dominated the rebounding action throughout the contest. For the Liberty, Anna Trombley had a team-high eight points and Alli Lovely, Rhylee Kinney and Hattie Bubar all added two.
The Lynx beat the Sparks in the first semifinal, 36-14, with Legassie scoring 23 and Casavant 11 to lead the charge. Lizzy Nadeau and Kacie Chapman had six points each for the Sparks.
In the other semifinal, the Liberty topped the Storm, 18-11, behind a stifling defensive effort. Trombley and Bubar scored six points each for the Liberty, while Paige McHatten scored seven to pace the Storm.
In the boys’ title game, the No. 2 Bulls were able to pull off the upset over the Clippers, 27-26. The Clippers took a 16-5 lead into intermission, but the Bulls held the opponents scoreless in the third quarter and took a one-point lead. The two teams exchanged baskets throughout the fourth, but the Clippers had possession down by one point with 2.7 seconds to go. However, the Bulls’ defense stood strong and blocked the potential game-winning shot to preserve the win.
Jacob Bonville scored 13 points to lead the winning offense, while Garrett Caron had seven. For the Clippers, Sam Beaulieu scored nine and Jacob Devine seven.
The Thunder beat the Celtics in a first-round game, 42-24, as Nate Willett scored a career-high 30 points and Corey Estabrook chipped in with a season-best 12 in the victory. Gavin Akeley tossed in 14 points and Joe Bolstridge had six for the Celtics.
The Bulls outscored the Heat in one semifinal, 25-21, led by Bonville’s 16 points. Colby Buckley added nine more for the winners. Noah Flynn scored 12 to pace the Heat, with teammate Zack Fletcher notching five more.
The Clippers came through with a 28-21 victory over the Thunder in the other semifinal as Beaulieu and Chance Bragan scored nine points each to lead the charge.
