Alley: Jonesport-Beals’ secret is work ethic

Tourney notebook

In 26 years, Ordie Alley has had a lot of good basketball teams under his command. Two of those teams – including this year’s Eastern Maine Class D final entry – are a little more special, however.

Nobody expected such a big finish from the Royals, who boast only one senior starter and three seniors total on this year’s roster.

“I had a team back in 1983 that was a lot like this team,” Coach Alley said following Friday’s 92-68 win over Woodland. “I don’t think anybody expected us to do much and we won the state that year. I’m not saying we’re going to win anything, Eastern Maine or anything else. But I think this group has come quicker than that team did.

“Those two teams, in particular, are my pride and joy,” Alley added.

Jonesport-Beals success has come from a simple Downeast work ethic.

“I think the biggest key is how hard the kids have worked,” Alley said. “I haven’t had a complaint all year. Everything I’ve told them to do, they’ve worked on. They’re not scared to scrap. The improvement has come right with the kids and how hard they’ve worked.”

On Saturday, the Royals will look for their first EM D championship since 1985. – –

While the Royals fell five points shy of setting the Class D tourney record for most points in a game (97, set by Narraguagus of Harrington in 1973), two records did fall in Friday’s semifinal game.

Jonesport-Beals’ eight 3-pointers set the `D’ tourney team record for most treys made in one game, breaking the mark of seven set by Easton in 1990.

Coupled with the four 3-pointers made in Monday’s 90-51 win over Southern Aroostook in the quarterfinals, the Royals now have made 12 shots from beyond the 19-foot-9 semicircle. That, too, is a new record, breaking the old record of 11 set by Washburn last season.

Jonesport-Beals needs to score 79 points in the EM final on Saturday to break the school’s 1972 mark for most points in a tournament. – –

Washington Academy now owns the record for most 3-point field goals in a Class C boys game.

Coach Buddy Wood’s Raiders connected for 10 3-pointers in their quarterfinal victory over Narraguagus of Harrington. The performance betters the eight 3-pointers made by Fort Fairfield in a 1988 tourney contest. – –

Limestone junior guard Tony Tobin repeated his 34-point quarterfinal performance, scoring 34 in Thursday’s semifinal win over Lee Academy. That effort ties him for ninth on the Class C tournament all-time schoolboy single-game scoring list with John Jardine of Greenville, who scored his 34 in ’77.