FREEPORT

With both the Pine Tree Academy and Forest Hills girls basketball teams in the middle of securing a Class D South high school tournament berth, the two schools had a lot to play for in Tuesday’s tilt.

Coming into the contest, PTA sat in the eighth and final spot of the Heal Point Standings, while Forest Hills was close behind in ninth.

The visiting Tigers helped their chances by pulling away from the Breakers for a 35-26 win.

The game started a little slow for both sides. The Breakers went 0-for-7 from the field in the opening quarter, not breaking the scoring column. Fortunately for PTA, Forest Hills was 2- for-11 and only held a slight 4-0 lead after eight minutes.

“It’s been the story this year,” said Josh Dayen in reference to his team not putting together four quarters.

Emily Schlisner and Agnes Miongo got the hosts on the board to open the second quarter with each with a basket. Initiated by the hustle and tenacious defense of Adriana DePalma, PTA forced a pair of Tiger turnovers to get the energy going.

“She has stepped up for us this season,” said Dayen of his junior guard. “ I’d like to see her a little more hands off as she tends to foul and use that aggression to drive towards the hoop.”

After a Natalie Marden basket, a trey from Miongo capped a 9-2 run to open the frame and a give the Breakers a three-point lead.

Demi Giroux quickly answered with basket from behind the arc to tie the score, and on the next time down the court sank another to give the Tigers the lead, 12-9.

Despite hoops by Anna Marden and Schlisner, the latter giving PTA a one-point lead, Forest Hills hit one more 3-pointer to close out the half and take a 15- 13 lead into the break.

PTA kept within striking distance in the third quarter behind a pair of offensive rebounds by DePalma before finding her teammates for a field goal.

“We all have each other’s back in a sense we look for each other to score. If the basket isn’t there, we know we can find one another to try to make it happen,” said the junior co-captain. “We try to work it around to get the best shot we can.”

Junior Renee Pickard did her part for PTA, registering all six of her points in the third quarter, The co-captain also had an assist on a dish to Schlisner late in the quarter to pull the Breakers within one.

“We just try to spread the ball around all five of us,” said Pickard. “We make sure everyone spreads around the court and hopefully get open for a shot.”

Forest Hills halted any momentum the Breakers tried to gain, and big defensive rebounds by Alex Lessard and Taylor Fontaine kept PTA from getting any closer than one point. The Tigers eventually ended the stanza with a 25-22 lead.

Giroux opened the quarter with her third trey and the Tigers led by six. Again, PTA did all they could defensively, forcing four fourth-quarter turnovers and getting three steals from Miongo.

But PTA went cold, shooting just 2-for-13 and getting outrebounded 9-4 under the offensive basket. Forest Hills clamped down, holding the Breakers to just four points en route to the 35-26 final.

Giroux poured in a game high 13 points, while Lessard added 11 for Forest Hills. Giroux also had eight rebounds, while Lessard hauled in seven in the win.

Schlisner had a team-high nine points and five rebounds, with Miongo adding six boards and six steals to go with her five points.

Forest Hills 35, Pine Tree Acad. 26

At Pine Tree Academy

	Forest		Hills — 4	11	10	10	—	35
PTA		—	0	13	9	4	—	26

Forest Hills — Demi Giroux 5-0-13,
Sarah Hoyt 0-0-0, Mary Brown 0-0-0,
Miranda Shelley 0-0-0, Alex Lessard
5-0-11, Taylor Fontaine 4-1-9, Alexis
Campbell 1-0-2, Catherine Harmon 0-
0-0. Totals — 15-1-35.
PTA — Anna Marden 1-0-2, Emily
Schlisner 4-1-9, Natalie Marden 1-0-
2, Adriana DePalma 1-0-2, Renee
Pickard 3-0-6, Agnes Miongo 2-0-5,
Regence Sandy 0-0-0. Totals — 12-
1-26.
3-point goals — (FH) Giroux 3,
Lessard; (PTA) Miongo.
Records — Forest Hills 4-8, Pine
Tree Academy 2-7.
Up next for the Breakers — Tuesday
at home against Rangeley, 4 p.m.