PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – A foul shot by Angela Norsworthy gave the Lady Wildcats a one-point advantage with 25 second remaining in Monday’s basketball game against Foxcroft Academy but the Lady Ponies came back with a foul shot of their own to send the game into overtime. Despite a strong effort, Presque Isle couldn’t get their offense ticking and took a disappointing 73-72 loss.
The teams opened the extra period trading baskets before Foxcroft got an advantage on a foul shot by Leslie Martin, but Sarah Porter got a pair to go to give the lead back to Presque Isle. The teams would trade leads twice more before Norsworthy got the ball near the right sideline and took the foul from Foxcroft’s Ali Adkins. She hit the second of two free throws to give Presque Isle a 72-71 lead with 16 seconds remaining.
With one final possession, Foxcroft got the ball in the hands of Vanessa Lougee. The shot fell short and Norsworthy got the rebound, but a Pony player tipped it away and Martin came up with the loose ball. She went straight to the basket for the layup and the 73-72 lead with four seconds remaining.
Presque Isle’s inbounds play headed for Norsworthy but Adkins got the tip as time expired to give Foxcroft their second win of the season.
Playing their third game in four days, the Lady Wildcats couldn’t get their offense going from the start and Foxcroft took advantage, gaining a 10-3 lead with 2:45 left in the first quarter. Presque Isle climbed back in with time waning. Porter hit a three-pointer and Norsworthy hit a two to give the Lady Wildcats a lead, but Foxcroft grabbed three offensive rebounds before Tiffany Lougee finished the play at the buzzer to regain the lead for the Lady Ponies.
The teams went to the locker rooms at halftime tied off back-to-back fast breaks by Norsworthy and Kayla Legassie and a last second shot by Foxcroft’s Danika Brown.
Legassie had the hot hand for Presque Isle opening the third quarter and pushed the team to a 50-47 lead with 2:18 left in the third but Foxcroft again proved resilient, coming back in the fourth to send the game into overtime.
Foxcroft Academy spread scoring around to seven different players with six scoring in double figures. The team was led by Vanessa Lougee and Martin with 15 each, Danika Brown with 11 and Bekah Flanders, Tiffany Lougee and Adkins with 10 each.
Presque Isle was led by Norsworthy, who put up her third 30-point game of the season with a game-high 32. Porter added 18 and Legassie netted 12. The Lady Wildcats were out rebounded 47-36.
The team split a pair of games on a weekend trip to the coastal region losing to Mount Desert Island 41-40 Friday night while earning a 50-29 win over Ellsworth Saturday afternoon.
Against MDI, Norsworthy led the Lady Wildcats with 19 points and Porter added eight.
Susan Falt hit a short jumper with eight seconds left to help lead the Trojans. Amethyst Cousins put up 12 points while Falt added 10.
Against Ellsworth, Norsworthy against sparked Presque Isle with 21 points while Porter added 10. The defense held all Ellsworth players to single digits with Catherine Carter leading the way with seven.
The Lady Wildcats are now 7-5 on the season and in 7th place in Eastern Maine Class B girls’ basketball as of Tuesday’s heal point standings.
