Presque Isle boys to take on Caribou

    The Wildcats host the Vikings tonight in the first of two season games. Though the basketball season is well under way, this will only be game four for the ‘Cats, and coach Tim Prescott isn’t satisfied with the early scheduling. “It’s noteworthy that this is so early in the year. Rivalry games shouldn’t be this early. Neither team may feel ready or have a good grasp on thing.”  Prescott spent the better part of this week focusing on offense and repetitive shooting, something he noticed had been lacking on the court in recent games.
    Prescott had a better idea of his team after the Wildcat’s first season game against Houlton on Dec. 11, with a close 39-38 loss. “The Houlton game was a huge disappointment offensively. Our execution was very poor and our shooting was even worse … we’ve been very slow to come around in that regard.” Since then, the team has shown signs of improvement.
    In their latest game on Saturday, Presque Isle had 17 offensive rebounds against Bucksport and made a conscious effort offensively, which showed in their 54-24 victory. Nate Ackerson played well on both ends of the floor, finishing with 10 rebounds and 14 points for the Wildcats. Senior Russ Mortland provided excellent defense, despite battling a sore knee and ankle.
    The Wildcat’s play in Presque Isle tonight at 7 p.m., and have the perfect opportunity to show their offensive improvement and capture the second win of the season.
    The Lady Wildcats also played Houlton and Bucksport last week, dominating in both games. With a 60-39 win over Houlton, and a 68-24 victory over Bucksport, the Presque Isle girls were prepared to play Caribou.
    Prior to the game, coach Jeff Hudson anticipated a competitive four quarters. “Caribou has some talented athletes and I expect them to play very well against us. We will try and play at a fast pace, trap and press, and try to force Caribou into some turnovers. After losing twice to Caribou last year, I think our kids are ready and I expect us to play with a lot of fire and heart,” Hudson said.
    The Lady Wildcats played the Lady Vikings last night. Results will appear in next week’s paper.