Fifth-seeded Scarborough continued its turnaround season Thursday night – earning a spot in the semifinals with top-ranked South Portland – by beating fourth-seeded Bonny Eagle 51-30 in a Class AA South boys’ basketball quarterfinal at the Portland Expo.
Not bad for a team winless after its first 10 games.
“Going 0-10, that was rough,” Emmett Peoples of Scarborough said. “But we knew in the second half of our schedule things were going to turn around. Once we started getting in a groove, there’s a lot this team can do. And we’re not done yet. We’re all real excited for the next one.”
The Red Storm (7-12) will face South Portland (15-3) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cross Insurance Arena.
Scarborough trailed only once, when Bonny Eagle freshman Zach Maturo drained a 3-pointer to open the second quarter and give the Scots (6-13) a 12-10 lead.
Nick Fiorillo and Reece Lagerquist then led a 12-3 run that gave the Red Storm a 22-15 halftime lead and Bonny Eagle never again threatened.
The Scots managed only 5-of-24 shooting from 3-point range and with center Will Hendrix sidelined by mono, had no answer for the inside presence of Fiorillo and Lagerquist, who are both 6-foot-4.
Fiorillo finished with 14 points that included a pair of first-quarter 3-pointers, and Lagerquist added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Maturo led Bonny Eagle with 15 points. The teams split regular-season games, each winning away from home.
A week earlier in the regular-season finale, Scarborough beat Bonny Eagle 50-42 to clinch a tournament berth.
Coach Phil Conley, in his first season with Scarborough after a long stretch at South Portland, credited the high character of his players.
“Never once did they give up when we were 0-5, 0-7, 0-10,” Conley said. “They stayed together as a group and they believed in the coaching staff. In the process of never giving up and working hard, we got better and better and better.”
The score was 37-21 through three quarters.
Jackson Hogan, Bonny Eagle’s lone senior, drove for a basket to cut the margin to 14, but Peoples answered immediately with a drive and a putback. The margin never dropped below 15 the rest of the way.
“Phil’s done a great job,” said Bonny Eagle Coach Mike Francoeur. “He’s taken some kids who are competitive, athletic kids and really done some nice things. He’s got some kids who have really grown up.”
Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or at:
gjordan@pressherald.com
Twitter: GlennJordanPPH
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