Brewer entered the game undefeated and left with another victory under its belt with an 86-29 victory over rival Bangor on Tuesday night.
The Brewer and Bangor fans packed the Brewer High School gym to watch the cross-river rivals and the Witches were able to jump out to a strong lead early.
Brock Flagg scored the first basket of the game and then later capped Brewer’s 18-2 run to start the game. In the first quarter, the senior put up 11 points, four rebounds and a steal. The Brewer student section, all dressed in different sports jerseys, were loud and Bangor seemed to be without many answers.
Just 97 seconds into the game, Bangor’s Connor Boone earned his second foul of the game and had to take a seat on the bench. Boone has been a leader for the Class AA Rams early on this season and losing his experience was a tough blow for Bangor (1-6).
“It disrupts our rhythm and the quick foul makes us play the game how we always play it and we took him out to conserve him to see how the game goes,” Bangor coach Brad Libby said. “The guys worked hard but we just shot too quickly offensively and we allowed them to get out and score. They have some really good scorers over there.”
Ryder Goodwin also scored six points in the first quarter, helping Class A Brewer (6-0) to a 21-4 lead at the end of the quarter.
“I think we were just really amped up to play,” Flagg said. “We haven’t played in a week and we got all our frustrations out from not having a game and we just came out firing.”
Brady Saunders started to find his shot in the second quarter for Brewer and the team’s leading scorer began to score. After being held to just two points in the first quarter, Saunders scored eight in the second en route to a 24-point performance.
“When Brock stepped up and he started scoring, Brady had a slow start then he started scoring and I think we have different people, different pieces that can get in there, score points and make things happen,” Brewer coach Ben Goodwin said. “It was nice to see. It’s an outstanding team and a great group of young men. They like playing with each other and they don’t care who scores as long as they win at the end of the night. It’s a lot of fun.”
Cameron Hughes added seven points in the second quarter for the Witches.
On the other side, Boone came back into the game late in the first and at the 5:53 mark in the second quarter earned his third foul. The Rams found open shots but struggled to knock them down for much of the contest.
“It’s a process,” Libby said. “We have a lot of young guys on the floor and we’re trying to get them to the point where they need to be to compete at the varsity level.”
The third quarter was Bangor’s best, scoring 14 in the frame. Ryan Ford scored four of his eight points in the third, while Boone added three of his seven in the third, as well.
Saunders continued to score early in the third, scoring a quick eight points before sitting for approximately the final quarter-and-a-half. Saunders also grabbed rebounds and forced turnovers, helping the Witches get out into transition.
“We really pride ourselves on our defense,” Flagg said. “Last year we had more offensive firepower and this year we’re strong defensively.”
The rivalry game atmosphere on Tuesday night was one that players will not soon forget.
“For high school basketball, an atmosphere like this is as good as it gets,” Goodwin said.
