Jarrod Chase lays it up against Fort Kent at the Cross Center. Photo by Anne Berleant
The top-ranked George Stevens Academy varsity boys basketball team crushed #8 Fort Kent in a quarterfinal playoff match at the Cross Center on February 16. They will meet #5 Schenck on Friday, February 19, in a semifinal match up. The winner of that game will continue on to Northern Regional title match the next day.
The Eagles jumped to a quick lead against Fort Kent, running up 22 points in the first quarter to Fort Kent’s five. GSA continued its roll, leading 45-14 at halftime and 63-20 to open the fourth quarter. Coach Dwayne Carter threw in his bench—and caught a fumbled pass—for the last minutes of the game.
With strong shooting from in and around the key, and high percentage from the foul line, the Eagles showed why they are the top-ranked team in North Class C. Their only loss this season came in the last week of the regular season to Class B Ellsworth—by a mere two points in the final seconds of the game.
Max Mattson led the Eagles with 19 points, Taylor Schildroth scored 17, Nick Szwez 14 and Jarrod Chase 13.
Tip off for the Eagles semifinal match against Schenck is 8:35 p.m. at the Cross Center on February 19.
“Schenck is a good team,” Carter said. “They have one very good player in Justin Thompson. We will need to limit his touches on the ball and focus on rebounding and limiting them to one shot at the basket.”
Thompson endured double teaming by #4 Lee Academy in the quarterfinal preceding the Eagles’ game, and still scored a game high 26 points and 20 rebounds in a game won 60-59 in overtime.
“We need to focus on our defense and that will transfer into offense,” Carter said. “On offense we need to go inside to our big men as [Schenck] does not have match-ups for them. It will be a competitive game.”
Taylor Schildroth shoots. Photo by Anne Berleant
Max Mattson leads the Eagles with 19 points. Photo by Anne Berleant
Nick Szewz angles around the Fort Kent defense. Photo by Monique Labbe
Coach Dwayne Carter leads his team. Photo by Anne Berleant
Beckett Slayton works the Eagles offense. Photo by Anne Berleant