It’s a brutal early-season schedule that, if you go by record, doesn’t seem to get any easier.
When Biddeford’s boys basketball team visits Windham tonight (Dec. 23), they will bring a 3-1 mark with them.
What else is new?
But records can be deceiving and this is the perfect example. With wins over Sanford, Noble and Marshwood, the Tigers have not faced the same test thrown at the Eagles, who have been pitted against Portland’s city schools.
The Windham boys started this winter with one of the toughest schedules in Western Maine and opened against arguably the best team in the state, Cheverus, losing at home 76-35.
If Cheverus isn’t the best team, then Deering is, and the Eagles took them on Tuesday. Windham lost to the Rams on the road game 81-47.
Last Saturday Portland, now 4-0, came to town, and the result was a 71-41 loss.
In between, in their second game of the season, the Eagles rose to the occasion and won at South Portland 67-63. It was a nice foothold for Coach Kevin Millington’s players as they try to move past losing three games by at least 30 points.
“It will be a tough game, as every game in our conference is,” said Millington Thursday about the Biddeford contest, “but it’s not Cheverus, Portland or Deering.”
Windham seems to have players developing to tackle the remainder of the schedule with vigor. T.J. Tandberg has proven to be one of the more capable guards in the league. Will Clemmer is the 6-foot-6 big man many teams would love to have. And a supporting cast has been taking on various responsibilities.
“T.J. has been great offensively,” said Millington of his key shooter, who scored 21 points at South Portland and 22 points in a losing cause at Deering. “Raibonne Charles has been great on the glass and contributing offensively and Derek Hanrahan is our defensive stopper and has also been chipping in some points.”
Millington is hoping for a win over Biddeford to make the Christmas holidays a little more pleasant.
The Eagles return from the break with a home game Jan. 3 against Sanford. And, yes, they have a couple of wins under their belts already this winter as well.
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