STANDISH — For many years, the Bonny Eagle girls’ basketball team has been an afterthought in the competitive SMAA.
Not this year.
The Scots won their eighth consecutive game Friday night, defeating two-time defending Class AA state champion Gorham 43-32 in a grueling, physical game. Deirdre Sanborn scored six of her team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter, when Bonny Eagle outscored the Rams 14-4.
“This was a great win,” said Sanborn. “We proved ourselves, I think. People think we’re one of the lower teams in the league and they overlook us. But in this game, I think we proved that we can play with all the top teams.”
The Scots, now ranked second in Class AA South, improved to 10-3, while fifth-ranked Gorham dropped to 8-6.
The Rams were handicapped when 6-foot-2 junior center Mackenzie Holmes, one of the state’s best players, got into foul trouble. She went to the bench after picking up her fourth foul with 5:10 left in the third quarter and Gorham ahead 27-21. The Rams scored only five points the rest of the way, and Holmes fouled out in the fourth quarter, just 1:33 after re-entering the game.
“No doubt that made a difference,” said Bonny Eagle Coach Scott Regan. “She’s a great player.”
Regan noted, though, that his team also had foul trouble. Point guard Mackenzie Emery got her fourth foul with 3:33 left in the third quarter and center Mia Ferrante fouled out.
“Our younger kids and the bench stepped up,” said Regan. “We got great minutes out of everybody … I can’t talk enough about each of the kids we had and what they did.”
Gorham jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but Bonny Eagle climbed back to within 9-8 after one quarter. There were eight lead changes in the second quarter, which ended tied at 21.
Gorham scored the first six points of the third, but then Holmes went to the bench with her fourth foul. Bonny Eagle responded and took a 29-28 lead into the fourth after Samantha Averill scored on a drive to the basket.
The Rams went ahead one more time three seconds into the fourth on a sneakaway layup by Courtney Brent off the inbounds pass from Michelle Rowe. It was the last field goal for Gorham.
Taylor Johnson (eight points) hit a 3-pointer from the right wing off a pass from Sanborn to put the Scots ahead for good, 32-30. Following a Gorham miss, Sanborn scored inside.
After a Rowe foul shot made it 34-31, Sanborn drove left and scooped in another layup. Then Holmes (seven points) fouled out with 4:13 left. Johnson, dribbling the ball at midcourt in front of Holmes, abruptly stopped and Holmes couldn’t stop from falling on her.
Gorham was led by Adele Nadeau with 12 points.
“I felt like there were some shots we should have been able to make that we didn’t make,” said Gorham Coach Laughn Berthiaume. “A lot of missed layups and crucial turnovers.”
The Scots took advantage.
“We worked together as a team,” said Johnson. “We didn’t start off very strong, but in the end we pulled together and we all put our part in to pull out a good win.”
CORRECTION: This story was updated on Jan. 27 at 7:48 a.m. to correct Taylor Johnson’s scoring total.
Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or:
mlowe@pressherald.com
Twitter: MikeLowePPH
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