Staff Writer
In the first of two evening games in Bangor Wednesday, the Presque Isle boys were defeated by Rockland 57-3, ending their season with a record of 18-3.
Presque Isle’s bench had suffered from sickness the first half of the week and the Wildcats fell behind initially. Rockland’s last-second first-quarter basket propelled the Tigers into the second leading by 10, but Rockland’s fourth team foul came just minutes into the second quarter. Presque Isle took advantage of the bonus, netting 14 of 18 from the free throw line and using the down time to regain their strength.
“[Rockland] gave us easy points in the first half and we got into bonus relatively early. We did a good job of taking the ball to the basket, getting to the line and catching little breathers here and there. At that point, I knew we had enough energy to come back,” said Wildcat coach Tim Prescott.
As the teams contended for the lead, Rockland slipped into deeper foul trouble, finishing the first half over the limit and Presque Isle took a hard earned 24-22 into the locker room.
The Wildcats entered the floor at the start of the second half with nearly as much energy as the first, but soon slipped behind as they were now the team racking up fouls. Rockland held Presque Isle to seven points, with Nate Ackerson and Dillon Kingsbury contributing a basket, and Oliver Zubrick, who netted a free throw and foul shot.
The Wildcats five third-quarter fouls gave the Tigers a chance to leap ahead for good, as Rockland’s 20 points gave them a 42-31 lead.
Rockland went on to net 15 more points in the fourth quarter while Presque Isle added another seven fouls to their previous five, sending them over the limit. In the end, the Tiger’s defense was too strong, even with the Wildcats repeated attempts to go to the basket. “It was a struggle to stay close in the second half, and it looked like we ran out of energy. Everything became forced,” said Prescott. “[Rockland] is much better defensively than I imagined, but I thought our boys played very, very hard and I was surprised we were able to throw that much energy onto the floor.” As far as the 12 fouls Presque Isle acquired in the second half, Prescott attributed that number to a lack of energy.
“Defensive fouls are usually the result of fatigue, and so we weren’t moving our feet quite as quickly and briskly. When Rockland took the lead, we had to be a little more aggressive and that can cost you fouls,” Prescott explained.
By game’s end, Ackerson netted 10 points for Presque Isle while Zubrick contributed seven. Mortland, who began things offensively in the first quarter for the Wildcats, was defended so tightly by Rockland he only put in a total of four points. But, as Prescott explained, the team doesn’t single any one player out.
“This team is such a nice group of guys, they don’t care who does what. There isn’t a guy in the world who could be more proud of his basketball team than I am.” Wins and losses aside, at the end of this season, the boys varsity team is a fine representation of Presque Isle and have given the Star City much to be proud of.
Staff photo/Abigail Hunt
WORKING TOGETHER, Wildcat Travis Dyer looks for the shot as teammate Ethan Braley blocks a Rockland opponent in the semifinal game.
