Oak Hill’s Audrey Bauer (right) goes for the ball as Lisbon’s Siara Martin looks to make a pass. Oak Hill won Monday’s girls MVC basketball game, 56-27. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
WALES — The Oak Hill girls high school basketball team received points from eight different players, outscoring the Greyhounds 31-16 in the middle two frames to outlast Lisbon, 56-27, in Mountain Valley Conference action on Monday.
The Raiders, currently sitting second in the Class B South Heal Point Standings behind Freeport, improved to 12-3 with the 19-point victory. Lisbon fell to 8-6 and sits in the fifth spot.
Desirae Dumais led all scorers with 14 points, registering eight in the first half. Lisbon’s Giana Russo paced the Greyhounds with 13 that included a pair from behind the arc.
With just four players on the bench for Lisbon as opposed to twice as many on Oak Hill’s, the physical game between the two teams took its toll on the Greyhounds, who travel to Mt. Abram this evening at 6:30 p.m.
“It was a physical game and when you have a team that can go to its bench when they do call the fouls, and they can keep coming at you, it’s hard to keep up,” said Lisbon coach Doug Sautter. “We didn’t rebound well. When they’re taking five shots to make a basket that makes it tough.”
Oak Hill’s Desirae Dumais (13) eyes the ball as Lisbon’s Kiley Merritt dribbles across the court during the first half of Monday’s girls high school basketball game. The Raiders won the MVC tilt, 56-27. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
Oak Hill out-rebounded the visitors 17-10 in the opening half, taking a 12-7 first-quarter lead and extending the advantage to 28-16 at the half.
The Raiders spread the scoring around from the start, receiving points from six different players in the opening half. Behind Dumais, Gabby Chessie scored five and Emily Dillman three with each hitting treys from behind the arc.
But it wasn’t just the offense that was firing on all cylinders, it was also the Raider defense that separated them from the Greyhounds.
“This time of the year you want to peak and try to get better and it’s starting to show,” Oak Hill coach Mike Labonte said as the Raiders visit Hall-Dale this evening. “It’s going in the right way, it was a good battle for both teams.”
After Russo’s eight points, Destiny Deschaines netted four while hauling in four first-half boards. Charlee Cox was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe for four points.
Raiders pull away
Oak Hill continued its offensive attack with a 12-3 run to open the second half, behind 3-point baskets from Audrey Bauer, Dumais and Brianna Dumais.
“We generally like to spread the scoring around,” Labonte said. “Des (Dumais) is usually up there because she hits the boards so hard, but we have confidence in others to score.”
Lisbon’s Haley-Jane Tuplin (left) looks to make a pass as Oak Hill’s Amara Denis defends during the fourth quarter of Monday’s girls MVC basketball game in Wales. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
Paige Gonya finished with 10 points, followed by Dillman’s nine and Chessie’s eight.
After a tough, physical game against Carrabec on Friday night according to Sautter, he conducted a “short” practice on Saturday before getting back at it Monday.
“Going into the fourth quarter I sat most of my starters, we have to look ahead to tomorrow at Mt. Abram,” Sautter said after the game. “(Mt. Abram) is worth four points right now and when six points separate three though seven, every point counts.
“It’s physical games like these that make us better. We’ve come such a long way this season and they have surpassed every expectation.”
Russo agreed.
“It’s a tough stretch on our schedule, but not to make excuses, we know we just have to keep playing hard and working hard every night,” the senior said. “We learn in these physical games what we need to do. We get into the playoffs we’re going to have to play against taller and more physical players.”
As for Sautter’s seniors — Siara Martin, Russo, Kiley Merritt and Cox — the coach is thrilled and appreciative what they have brought in each day in his first year back to the sidelines after a hiatus to watch his own children play.
“They go all out at practice and I really appreciate it,” Sautter said. “The improvement they’ve shown over the course of the year and mental toughness has been phenomenal. I thank them for their work ethic and it’s been great to be back coaching, and they’re a big part of it.”
Deschaines and Cox each finished with four points, while Martin, Merritt and Emma Willey each netted two.
Lisbon’s Giana Russo dribbles into the basket during Monday’s girls MVC high school basketball game in Wales. Oak Hill came away with the 56-27 win. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
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