HAMPDEN – In its first test of the week-old Class A season, the Bangor girls basketball team rallied from an 11-point deficit in the first half, and then dominated in the second to post a 67-47 victory over Hampden Friday night.

The Rams, now 3-0, got a 25-point performance from forward Terra Curtis, as well as strong bench play on defense and well-rounded offensive contributions while working through a spell of turnovers and defensive breakdowns in the first quarter and early into the second.

“It’s a complete team effort,” Curtis said of the Rams’ rally. “You have to work together, you can’t get frustrated. If everyone works together it will come together.”

Hampden (2-1) took a three-point lead after the first quarter, mainly because of an 8-for-8 effort from the free-throw line. Sharp-shooting guard Megan Magoon sparked the Broncos in the second quarter, scoring 15 of her team-high 19 points.

“Hampden played a tremendous first half,” Bangor coach Tom Tennett said. “We made some defensive mistakes, and every time we made a mistake Hampden made us pay.”

Not only were the Broncos up by a significant margin, but starting Bangor forward Alison Smith and guard Jlynn Frazier each had three fouls. The Broncos jumped out to a 24-13 advantage with 5:21 left in the first half.

It was Hampden’s biggest lead of the game, but it didn’t last long.

Almost three minutes later Bangor cut into Hampden’s lead and the Rams were down 29-24 when Curtis scored off a pass from Frazier and Frazier hit a 3-pointer from the right side to tie the game. The Broncos made three free throws to regain the advantage 1:16 before halftime.

Enter Bangor’s Ashley Tower.

Tower, a junior guard who has seen sporadic time so far this season, came off the bench early and to that point had played well, mostly contributing on defense. She found the ball in her hands with an open look at the basket, and hit a 3-pointer off the glass with less than five seconds left.

“We were just trying to rotate the ball around and we were just trying to find someone open either inside or out,” Tower said. “I knew the time was winding down so I just shot it.”

If coming from behind hadn’t done it already, Tower’s shot was the emotional lift the Rams needed.

Bangor cruised in the second half, going on a 6-0 run in the third quarter and a 7-0 spurt near the end of the fourth. Smith worked through her foul troubles to score 11 of her 15 points. Frazier stayed in the game despite her three fouls and finished with 11 points. Katherine Miller added 11 points and six rebounds.

The Rams played a zone defense for the entire game, coming out in either a 2-3 or a 1-3-1 depending on the situation. That switch back and forth was part of the problems the Rams were having in the first quarter.

“I think we were a little confused on defense and we had to simplify it a little,” Curtis said. “We had different situations that we’d come back to different defenses and that’s what was screwing us up a little, giving them some open shots.”

Hampden coach Mike Webb said the Broncos weren’t too worried about playing against Bangor’s zone, which limited Hampden to 14 total field goals.

“We don’t mind playing against the zone. It’s just real hard to come back against it,” he said. “I am real proud of the girls, their defense and rebounding in the first half. We just need a little more experience and patience.”

Rams 67, Broncos 47

Bangor (3-0) Hampden (2-1)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG F AF TP

Prudente 0 1 0 0 0 Caron 1 1 0 0 2

Tower 1 6 0 2 3 Magoon 4 9 8 9 19

Achorn 0 0 2 2 2 Wells 1 6 0 0 2

Miller 3 6 5 11 11 Bragg 3 5 0 1 6

Frazier 3 9 2 2 10 Martin 0 2 0 0 0

Curtis 8 18 6 8 25 Russell 3 9 2 2 8

Capehart 0 0 1 2 1 Robinson 0 0 5 6 5

Smith 6 9 3 5 15 Campbell 0 0 1 2 1

Woodcock 0 1 0 0 0 Shaw 0 2 0 0 0

Magee 0 0 0 0 0 Butler 0 0 0 0 0

Warner 0 0 0 2 0 Hessert 2 2 0 0 4

Ireland 0 1 0 0 0

Totals 21 50 19 34 67 Totals 14 37 16 20 47

Bangor 11 35 51 67

Hampden 14 32 40 47

3-pt. goals: Bangor (6-12): Curtis 3-5, Frazier 2-4, Tower 1-2, Woodcock 0-1; Hampden (3-12): Magoon 3-7, Wells 0-3

Attendance: 250 (est.)

Preliminary: Bangor 59-41