PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The Presque Isle boys’ varsity basketball team mounted an impressive fourth-quarter comeback behind the post play of Adam Kingsbury against Ellsworth Friday night but the Eagles owned the free throw line in overtime to earn the 52-48 win.
The comeback started three minutes into the fourth when Kingsbury shook a defender, netted a short jumper from the left side to pull the Wildcats within six and pulled down a defensive rebound at the other end to regain possession for Presque Isle.
The Wildcats pulled down two offensive boards before Luke Ireland got a shot to fall and drew the foul for a three-point play that put the team within three with 4:23 left.
Kingsbury stole the ball at the other end and pulled Presque Isle within one on a put-back after a missed shot by Gabe Cheney.
The teams traded hoops, keeping Ellsworth ahead by one and the Eagles looked to pull ahead again on a shot by Corey Dewitt but the shot fell short and Kingsbury drew the foul in rebounding action. He made the first of two foul shots to tie the game with two minutes left.
The teams traded turnovers, giving Ellsworth the ball with a minute left and the Eagles went to a slow-down forcing Presque Isle to come out on defense. The Wildcats forced Ellsworth ballhandler Chris Archer to call a timeout as they trapped him near midcourt, and Cheney stole the ensuing inbounds pass and got it ahead to Trent Legassie for the fast break attempt. Ellsworth’s Samuel Coombs pulled down the rebound but the Eagles lost the ball out of bounds, giving Presque Isle the final possession with 5.9 seconds left. All three attempts went short, sending the game into overtime.
Demetrias Katsiaficas put the Eagles up early on a short jumper from mid-range and the Eagles hit all four foul shots they attempted as the Wildcats were forced to foul for the final margin.
The Eagles shut down the post on a man-to-man defense in the first half and opened up a 28-17 lead as a sagging Presque Isle defense left Ellsworth players open from long range.
Ellsworth was led by Dewitt with 19 followed by Katsiaficas with 14 and Archer with 11.
Kingsbury put up 15 for Presque Isle followed by Cheney and Russ Mortland with 12 each and Ireland with nine.
The Wildcats also suffered a four-point loss at the hands of Mount Desert Island Saturday, 57-53. Collin Watson led the Trojans with 12 followed by Andrew Veilleux with 11 and Ben Young and Wes Chipman with 10 each.
Kingsbury led Presque Isle with 19 points and 12 rebounds followed by Ireland with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Presque Isle moves to 4-6 on the season and 11th in the Eastern Maine Class B boys’ basketball standings.
