Maighread Laliberte of Oxford Hills breaks from Jade Perry of Edward Little during the third quarter in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
AUBURN — Oxford Hills wanted to avenge its opening game loss to Edward Little on Thursday. Backed by a strong full-court press and an overpowering performance on the boards, the Vikings came out with the 53-37 win over the Red Eddies in a Class AA North girls’ basketball rematch.
Edward Little jumped out to a 4-0 lead to begin the game, but the Eddies’ lead was bigger in their first meeting. This time, Oxford Hills came out shooting.
The Vikings shot the 3-pointer well in the first quarter, as Maggie Hartnett hit two treys and Julia Colby added another for a 13-9 lead after one.
Even as they were down, the Eddies didn’t quit. Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier said the Vikings were expecting a battle.
“Our girls played really, really hard this game,” Pelletier said. “It’s always a battle. We know each other, they know who our shooters are and we know who their are shooters are. It was a grind that first half.”
Jadah Adams of Oxford Hills controlled the glass in the second quarter, asserting her dominance down low to the tune of two old-fashioned three-point plays for six of her 12 points in the game.
Rebounding was the area that the Vikings had the biggest advantage Thursday night.
“We gave up lots of second chances,” Edward Little coach Chris Cifelli said. “Then sometimes I thought we played a pretty good half-court defense, but they’d miss a shot and we had to go back on defense because sometimes they didn’t put it back up. It would come out on the long rebound and they’d set the offense back up and we had to play another 30 seconds of defense.”
Edward Little tried to stay afloat in part because of Chantel Ouellette’s offensive rebounds and layups. She scored four points in each of the final three quarters for a total of 15.
Maighread Laliberte got scoring in the third and, as one of just two seniors on the team, led the young Vikings team to the win from the inside with a team leading 14 points.
“In the first game, it was the first time a lot of the younger girls experienced varsity basketball and I think they’ve grown so much since then as basketball players,” Laliberte said. “My teammates just got after it, they were awesome. A lot of the guards did a really good job rebounding and going through the offense and just crashing the boards.”
With three seconds left in the third, Oxford Hills heaved the ball on the inbounds all the way to the opposing free-throw line and Bailey Whitney hit a 10-foot jumper as the buzzer sounded to make it 39-27 and proving that it was just Oxford Hills’ night.
“Well, we didn’t feel like we played very well in the first game and they beat us,” Pelletier said. “It was sort of a redemption game. As a whole, I think the game went pretty well for us.”
As for Edward Little, the Eddies are taking some positives from the defeat.
“Our takeaway is the kids see where we need to get better,” Cifelli said. “There’s a definite feel in our locker room that kids want to work on the things that are some of our shortcomings.”
Chantel Ouellette of Edward Little High School gets a hand on the ball that Julia Colby of Oxford Hills is attempting to pass in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Grace Beaudet of Edward Little drives to the basket against Brooke Carson (12), Julia Colby (23) and Maggie Hartnett (11) during the first period in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Jade Perry of Edward Little and Jadah Adams of Oxford Hills scramble for the ball during the third quarter in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Grace Fontaine of Edward Little High School forces a turnover during the second period against Oxford Hills on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Chantel Ouellette of Edward Little High School shoots over Julia Colby, center, and Maighread Laliberte of Oxford Hills during the second period in Auburn on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Grace Fontaine of Edward Little High School shoots over Maighread Laliberte of Oxford Hills on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
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