Sports Editor
MARS HILL — In basketball, the team with the deeper bench usually has the upper hand as starters can be spelled by talented reserves.
Such was the case Friday evening in Mars Hill as the Central Aroostook boys (2-0) took on Southern Aroostook (2-1). The Panthers fell behind early, but a second-half surge, coupled with foul troubles for Southern Aroostook, allowed Central Aroostook to rally for a 71-57 victory.
Caleb Kelly netted a game-high 29 points, including an impressive 9 of 13 (69 percent) from the free throw line. Logan McLaughlin added 13 points, while Mitchell Folsom chipped in 11; Mike McClung, seven; Garrett Stiles, five; Brendan York, four; and Dan Brewer, two.
For Southern Aroostook, Dakota Sleeper tallied 22 points, while Cody Robinson added 20 in the losing effort. Travis Casey had nine and Jesse Boulier, Nick Tarr, and Patrick Goodall each had two.
The Warriors entered the game red-hot, jumping to a quick 8-0 lead, which seemed to catch Central Aroostook off guard.
“We have upped our level of play the last couple of years and I think that [hot start] surprised them a little bit,” coach Vaughn Sleeper said. “I knew they would come back though. This is a tough place to win.”
The Panthers trailed 16-13 in the first quarter and were down 35-30 at halftime.
Whatever Central Aroostook coach Tim Brewer told his team at the intermission worked because the Panthers were a different team in the second-half, outscoring SACS 36-27.
“I told the guys at the break that I thought we had a better half in us than we showed,” coach Brewer said. “I felt we had to tighten up our defense and play with more intensity and they did.”
That intensity resulted into more slashing attacks to the basket, which in turn, resulted in more Southern Aroostook fouls being called. The Warriors ultimately had three starters foul out of the game.
“We are trying to develop some of our kids off the bench, so it was good in that respect,” coach Sleeper said. “Nick Tarr came in and gave us some good minutes. All the kids showed a lot of heart tonight. They played hard for me and I can’t ask for anything more than that.”
Central Aroostook was an impressive 13 of 15 from the foul line in the fourth quarter, which put the game out of reach for the Warriors. For the game, CAHS converted 22 of 33 (67 percent) free throws, while Southern Aroostook was just 4 of 10 from the foul line.
“I think both teams are capable of playing better, but I thought our depth was the difference in this game tonight,” coach Brewer said. “I think rebounding will be a strength of this team in time because we have good size and leaping ability.”
Brewer added he would like to see his team be more physical in its rebounding and more decisive in taking the ball to the hoop.
“Overall it was nice to get a quality win against a good team,” he said.
Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
TO THE HOOP — Central Aroostook’s Caleb Kelly, right, goes in for a layup over the outstretched arms of Southern Aroostook’s Gary Sutherland during Friday night’s boys basketball game in Mars Hill. The Panthers won 71-57.
