PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle boys varsity basketball team was ecstatic when they snatched a victory over Caribou in a close Class B match last night.
The senior night game saw the Wildcats top Caribou 37 to 31.
Presque Isle Wildcat Coach Dillion Kingsbury knew the Vikings would be tough, but he wanted his team to remember their composure and push ahead when things got tough.
The Wildcats were hot out of the gate with a total of 13 points scored in the first quarter. Malachai Cummings led in scoring and teammates Jack Hallett and Brent Greenlaw contributing as well. In the first quarter, Caribou only had 3 total points scored between Vikings Avery Thibodeau and Tristan Robbins.
By the end of the first half, Presque Isle led Caribou by 9 points as Cummings made two 3-point shots between first and second quarters with Greenlaw contributing one shot in the second quarter.
The game heated up in the second half as Caribou inched closer to Presque Isle in scoring with double 3-pointers from Viking Dylan Bouchard and made free throws from teammates Henry Hebert and Thibodeau. Robbins also made one shot for a total of 12 points in the third quarter.
Presque Isle had nine total points in the third quarter from free throws made by Jack Buck and Cummings as Dawson Beaulieu banked a 3-pointer to make the score 29 to 23.
Despite Caribou’s best efforts in the fourth quarter, Presque Isle retained its one-point lead. Kaymen Sargent attempted to close the gap with a 3-pointer, but Presque Isle stayed ahead with multiple free throws from Cummings, Buck and Hallett.
“This game was awesome,” Kingsbury said. “Our kids played really tough and we’re very proud of them. They have been resilient all year. We’ve had some ups and downs just like any first year program would do, they have done nothing but overachieve in my eyes and have done great.”
Presque Isle is 9-8 in the regular season with one more game against Foxcroft Academy. Kingsbury hopes his team will keep up their defensive plays and remain composed until the season ends.
Caribou is now 12-6 in the season, but don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
