Pine Tree Academy senior Chris Amisi, right, looks to the hoop while being guarded by Greenville’s Jack Morehouse (1) during Monday’s Class D South boys quarterfinal basketball game at the Augusta Civic Center. Amisi scored 21 points and pulled in 15 rebounds, but his Breakers fell to the Lakers, 52-37. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
AUGUSTA — There was little that separated third-seeded Greenville and No. 6 Pine Tree Academy through two quarters of Class D South quarterfinal basketball play on Monday at the Augusta Civic Center.
The Lakers led the Breakers by a slim 22-20 score at the halftime break in a battle of 9-9 teams, with both squads taking turns with runs of offense.
In the third quarter, Greenville’s Camden Harmon put his Lakers right on his back, nailing three long 3-pointers over a 90-second span and lifting Greenville to a 52-37 victory.
The Lakers will meet No. 2 Rangeley — a 53-46 winner over seventh-seeded Vinalhaven — in the semifinals on Wednesday at 10 a.m., while the Breakers finished their season with a 9-10 mark.
“Their team, they can go six, seven, eight deep and not lose much, and that is hard for us,” said Pine Tree Academy coach Jeff Davis. “On those threes, we just couldn’t rotate our defense anymore. We were out of gas as our guys had worked so hard up to that point.”
For Lakers coach Joseph Pelletier, his team’s ability to turn it up a notch in the second half has become routine.
Pine Tree Academy defenders Ben Ndamukunda (23), Dominic Sanchez (1) and Chris Amisi (11) watch Greenville’s Camden Harmon (11) during Monday’s Class D quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center. Harmon’s 21 points led the Lakers to a 52-37 victory. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
“It was a slow-paced game, but we got out of it and got rolling in the third quarter. It was kind of similar to what we did last year in the first round. We were up two, then went up 14 after three. They just seem to do that,” Pelletier said.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair. PTA senior guard Chris Amisi was hot, scoring all of his team’s nine points in the opening frame, giving the Breakers a 9-5 lead.
Greenville closed the quarter strong, going on a 9-0 run as Jack Morehouse scored six points and
Greenville’s Camden Harmon (11) goes up for a shot between Pine Tree Academy defenders Ben Ndamukunda (23), Giovanny Alcime (21) and Chris Amisi. Harmon’s four 3-pointers in the third quarter keyed Greenville’s 52-37 victory in a Class D South quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center on Monday. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Sam Lane hit a long trey for a 14-9 Laker advantage heading to the second.
Both teams went stagnant on offense for the first six minutes of the second, as midway through the frame the score was 14-10 Greenville, the lone point coming on a free throw by Jahiesh Stewart of Pine Tree.
The half ended was a pair of quick flurries, with Chris Caiazzo scoring six points for Greenville, while Riquerme Morales nailed a pair of 3-pointers to bring the Breakers to 22-20 at the break.
Harmon finds it
After tallying three points in the opening half, Harmon swished a 3-pointer for a 26-20 Greenville lead early in the third quarter.
He was just warming up, with his quick succession of treys turning a 31-26 Lakers lead into a comfortable 40-26 advantage with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter.
Greenville’s Chris Caiazzo, center, is surrounded by Pine Tree Academy defenders Dominic Sanchez (1) and Riquerma Morales (0). (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
“Camden likes to do that, miss some shots early then get his rhythm,” said Pelletier.
Pine Tree tried to stay in it, with Amisi scoring 10 points in the second half and Morales adding seven for 13 points. But Greenville continued to pull away, with Harmon and Morehouse each picking up six points in the final frame to complete the 15-point win.
For the Breakers, it was a season to remember, with Amisi leading a group of young players to Augusta and a nine-win season.
“We had so many guys step up. Chris’ leadership was good. Guys like Jahiesh had never played basketball before this season as he is a soccer player. Out in California, he earned the all-tournament team on his defense and rebounding,” said Davis. “Ben (Ndamukunda) was scoring in double figures toward the end of the season. The nerves for a lot of our guys was there. Many had never been here before.”
“It was a phenomenal year. Everybody has improved tremendously, from a first game that wasn’t too good to getting here,” said Amisi, who reflected on his career at Pine Tree Academy. “I worked hard. Hopefully there is a new chapter for me in college. I will have to improve a lot over the summer, as those college players will be better than I am now. Playing at Pine Tree was a blessing.”
Amisi finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and five steals. Harmon pulled in 11 rebounds and led the Lakers with 21 points for a double-double, with Caiazzo adding seven boards as the Lakers finished with a 40-25 edge on the glass.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
