DIXFIELD — Dirigo played with high energy and intensity on both ends of the floor — paced by Sabrina Daoud, Lauren Henderson and Emma Lueders, who combined to score 46 points — as the Cougars rallied in the fourth quarter for a 58-51 win over Oak Hill at Defoe Gym on Tuesday.
Dirigo is a guard-driven team and even when things weren’t working against Oak Hill’s solid play, there was no panic. Oak Hill gained an upper hand with inside players Grace Sabine (game high 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals) and Abby Nadeau (11 points, 8 rebounds).
But the tide eventually turned when guards Lueders (14 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists), Daoud (17 points, 7 rebounds) and Olivia Noyes (big three pointer, 7 rebounds) each proved key elements down the stretch.
“This was a great team effort,” Dirigo coach Karen Magnusson said. “Emma was a phenomenal floor leader n the fourth quarter, as was Olivia, who really came up big. When we play strong defense and rebound then those things generate our offense.”
The game was important in Heal Points, with the regular season ending soon. Dirigo (9-5) is ranked fifth in Class C South. The Cougars found themselves trailing by eight points, following two Oak Hill baskets by Sabine and free throws by Jamie Prue (9 points). Noyes had buried a trey early in the fourth quarter, but then the Cougars tightened up their defense.
Henderson (15 points, 6 rebounds) buried a trey to ignite an 11-0 run. Lueders grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup, Henderson scored again and Daoud and Lueders each finished fast breaks to lead 52-48.
“We started to talk on defense. On offense we settled down instead of just chucking it up there,” Lueders said. “Those things hadn’t been happening earlier. We needed to push the ball and run.”
Oak Hill (7-8) , ranked eighth in Class B South, didn’t score another basket until Nadeau hit from the baseline with 11 seconds left in the game. The Raiders had taken a 41-38 lead, after scoring the final seven points in the third quarter. Prue buried a three pointer and Madison Bennett and Bri Mulherin each added a basket.
“This was a great game,” said Oak Hill coach Charlie Castonguay, who coached the Dirigo boys’ basketball team, in mid-1990s. “I thought we had them. We had the lead, but we didn’t get back defensively throughout most of the second half. Then Dirigo went on that big run.”
Castonguay lauded each team on its free throw shooting. Oak Hill made 14-of-18, while the Cougars made 12-of-17 and forced 10 turnovers.
Oak Hill had gone on a 7-0 run, including six straight free throws, to lead 29-21. Dirigo missed 13 of its first 15 shots, but Lueders drained a trey at the buzzer to trail 29-24 at halftime.
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