BRUNSWICK

The high school basketball season is nearing its completion, with one week remaining before tournament time.

Girls

Kelly LaFountain’s Mt. Ararat Eagles went through big struggles recently, dropping three straight games to Mt. Blue, Edward Little and Oxford Hills.

Wins over Erskine Academy and Skowhegan seem to have the Eagles pointed in the right direction again, with a big road tilt slated for tonight at improving Cony, which has won four straight, including victories over Edward Little and Oxford Hills.

The 12-3 Red Eddies lead Eastern Maine Class A, but the standings are still tight, with Bangor (12-3, second), Mt. Ararat (12-3, third) and Mt. Blue (10-5, fourth) battling for position, with Lawrence (11-4, fifth) and Oxford Hills (10-5, sixth) close behind.

“We have won some close games and lost some close games to very worthy opponents which will hopefully prepare us both physically and mentally for a strong run in the tournament,” said LaFountain, whose team finishes next week at 4-11 Lewiston (Tuesday) and 2-13 Brunswick (Thursday). “The girls work hard, enjoy playing together and still have room to grow. We have had games where different people have stepped up, which will help us down the road.”

Mt. Ararat has certainly learned how to handle adversity after the recent threegame losing skid, something LaFountain hopes will focus the Eagles come tournament time.

“I truly believe you learn a great deal about yourself from the setbacks you have to overcome,” said the coach. “How you react to them really shows what you are made of. How you handle adversity when things aren’t going your way really says a lot about a person and a team.

“The hot teams as of today are EL, Cony and Bangor, but there isn’t much separation from the other teams. The way things are going, the hot teams could change again next week. It should be a great tournament.”

In Western B, Freeport has reeled off three consecutive wins to improve to 9-6 in Jim Seavey’s first season at the helm, with sights set on hosting a preliminary contest.

The Falcons are 9-6 and currently ninth in the Heal Point Standings, two points behind No. 8 Maranacook.

“The kids are starting to execute the gameplan,” said Seavey of his Falcons, who host Traip Academy tonight. “We talk about trying to win one possession at a time, one quarter at a time, and the kids are doing a nice job. They are starting to believe.”

Nina Davenport has scored more than 20 points the past three games, and the play of her supporting cast, Aubrey Pennell, Leigh Wyman, Ashley Richardson, Hannah Chase and Jocelyn Davee, has improved.

“We want to host a prelim, but everybody is 0-0 come tournament time and we hope to be a tough out,” said Seavey.

In Western C, Lisbon is one spot out of a playoff spot and faces a tough stretch, with road tilts at Spruce Mountain tonight and Monmouth on Monday, before hosting St. Dom’s Thursday in the regular season finale.

Lisbon is four points behind No. 13 Carrabec.

“We are very young and have spent a good chunk of the season learning how to play together,” said Greyhounds coach Julie Wescott of her 5-10 team. “There are a couple games that were close and we have been on the winning side of some and losing side of others. Teamwork is one of our strong keys, along with playing a complete game. They know what they need to do, and I think that being one spot out right now will just motivate them more to get where we need to be.”

The battle is on in Western D, where Molly Bishop’s Richmond Bobcats have a sevenpoint lead over No. 2 Rangeley (13-1), with Hyde, coming off its first loss on Tuesday to Class C Old Orchard Beach, in third.

The 12-2 Bobcats have point-worthy Greater Portland Christian (fifth, 10-3) tonight at home, with Old Orchard Beach slated to visit Richmond on Tuesday, another contest where an abundance of Heal Points will be on the line.

“It has been awesome, with a couple bumps in the beginning, but we picked up the pieces and learned from them,” said Bishop. “As everyone knows, anything can happen in the tournament. Any of the top four teams — Richmond, Rangeley, Hyde and Forest Hills (13-2) — can get it done. We will have to come with our ‘A’ game.

“There have been some true highlights, especially seeing the kids smiling and having a great time. It has taken four years for them to have that confidence and believe they are that good. They’ve finally figured it out that they are good basketball players.”

Brunswick (2-13), Morse (4- 11) and Wiscasset (3-11) appear to be on the outside of the playoff hunt, with the Dragons hosting Lewiston tonight, the Shipbuilders home Saturday against Medomak Valley and the Wolverines at Mountain Valley Saturday.

Boys

Struggling! That is the one word that describes nearly all of the area teams as the regular season draws to a close over the next seven days.

Brunswick and Hyde have dropped three in a row, Mt. Ararat and Richmond three out of four, Wiscasset two of its last three and Morse five losses in the past six games, not to mention Lisbon (3-12) and Freeport (2-13).

But, most are still alive for the postseason, with big contests on tap.

“We have played Lawrence and Edward Little, the numbers two and three teams, so the competition has certainly been tough,” said Brunswick coach Todd Hanson, whose Dragons face another difficult task tonight at Lewiston, which has won seven straight, including victories over Lawrence, Oxford Hills and Brewer. “Lewiston is a very good, athletic team. Early in the season, they had some chemistry issues, but are clicking on all cylinders now.”

Brunswick’s 55-26 loss to Lawrence on Jan. 21 was a head-scratcher, along with Tuesday’s 61-39 setback at Oxford Hills. In between those losses was a tough 58-54 defeat at the hands of EL.

“We shot 14 of 49 (28 percent) against Oxford, missed layups and finished eight of 20 at the foul line,” said Hanson of the loss to the Vikings. “Right now, we’re more concerned with our effort and playing hard. If we do that, the score will take care of itself.”

Brunswick trails sixthplace Messalonskee by one point, but only leads No. 8 Oxford Hills by four, with the top seven teams heading to the Eastern A quarterfinals at the Augusta Civic Center, while the eight- and nineseeds will play a preliminary contest, with undefeated Hampden Academy waiting.

“Our destiny is in our hands, with Messalonskee playing Hampden (tonight) and having few Heal Points to play for next week, while we have Lewiston and a home game with Mt. Ararat (Thursday, 7 p.m.), games worth quite a few points,” said Hanson.

“Two keys for us are mental and physical toughness. We did not have either against Oxford, so we need to have that these last three games to finish strong.”

Thinking of Mt. Ararat, Aaron Watson’s charges are just one point behind No. 9 Brewer for the final Eastern A playoff spot.

But, Tuesday’s 60-52 loss to two-win Skowhegan didn’t help, with the Eagles scheduled to host No. 11 Cony tonight, with Lewiston and Brunswick left on the slate.

“These kids have worked incredibly hard, and they just love practicing new drills and going 100 miles an hour,” said Watson of his 6-9 squad. “They play an intense game, and this season has been great. But, we are not satisfied. Yes, we have overachieved, but our eyes are set on a playoff spot.”

Freshman Shyheim Ulrickson has averaged over 17 points a game, while Alex Lapierre, Mason Griffin and the rest of the Eagles have stepped up.

“Shy has been more than impressive, with an ability to know what is coming, look and forecast what he needs to do to succeed,” said Watson. “He is here every morning early, working with weights and shooting 100 shots. If allowed, he would skip study hall and do 200 more. He just outworks players, attracts attention and finds the open guy.

“All the players have stepped up,” Watson continued. “Mason Griffin is our best post player and leads in rebounds, while Alex Lapierre can be deadly when he is hot.

“There in no reason that we can’t beat Lewiston and Brunswick. It is one game at a time for us.”

In Western B, Morse firstyear coach Sam Hayes has his Shipbuilders (5-10) in the 10th position, with a visit to Medomak Valley set for Saturday and two home games next week to conclude the regular season.

“It doesn’t matter to me if we go 12th, squeak in. I will take my chances, knowing we can play against anybody,” said Hayes. “We have three games left, and we certainly have an opportunity to get in.

Wiscasset has certainly faced many peaks and valleys this season. Wins over Spruce Mountain, St. Dom’s at the buzzer, a victory at Hall-Dale and Tuesday’s 63-49 win over Monmouth have been the highs, while a tough buzzerbeating loss to Winthrop, and meltdowns against Dirigo (lost 73-46), Oak Hill (56-47) and Madison (76-67 loss) have been the lows.

“We have freshmen and sophomores who have stepped up, and that has been big for us,” said Wiscasset coach Dana Lawrence of his 7-6 squad, which visits Mountain Valley on Saturday. “(Freshman guard) JD Souza has really been a difference for us. He is very smart and quick.

“The win over Monmouth came after two tough losses at home. We have a tough schedule left (Oak Hill Monday at home; at Boothbay Thursday), so we need to work hard.”

Hyde began the season with nine wins, but losses to Waynflete, Valley and Old Orchard Beach over the past eight days has the Phoenix reeling. But, Hyde may get well this weekend, with a pair of contests at two-win Acadia Christian (tonight and Saturday).

Life hasn’t been easy at Richmond, where first-year coach Jon Spear has been faced with team-wide sickness and inconsistent play.

“We had a good stretch, but last week we took a bit of a decline,” said Spear after losses to Seacoast Christian, Greenville and Valley left the Bobcats 6-10 and clinging to the No. 7 spot. The top nine advance in Western D. “This is the time that we need to pull it together. We don’t want to take steps backwards.

“For us, the key is to focus on fundamentals, play good defense, screen, box out, and find a leader on the court. Right now, we don’t have that go-to guy who takes control. We need to find that.”

Richmond concludes its regular season at home, hosting winless Greater Portland Christian tonight and Old Orchard Beach on Tuesday. The Bobcats are two points ahead of No. 8 Buckfield.

“I think that we have come a long way this season,” added Spear.