Hermon rolls to 3rd straight win Hawks’ quick guards too much for Fort Kent

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HERMON – When Hermon and Fort Kent met in a Class B boys basketball clash Saturday night, it was a matchup of programs at different stages of development.

For Hermon, the 95-46 victory was the continuation of a strong early season effort with its roots in the experience that comes with having senior leadership.

The 3-0 Hawks scored the game’s first 13 points and soared from there behind a defense that forced 31 Fort Kent turnovers and dominated the rebounding action.

“That’s the best team we’ve faced,” said first-year Fort Kent coach Tim Farrar. “We knew that coming here. They’re very quick. That’s one thing you can’t coach is quickness, and they’ve got it.”

Senior guard Jesse Keith paced Hermon, scoring 31 points for the second straight game before sitting out the final quarter. He also had seven steals as he teamed with backcourt mate Adam Gould (10 points) to frustrate the Fort Kent guards.

“Jesse’s got some quick hands, and he is really just blossoming as a total basketball player,” said Hermon coach Alan Tweedie of Keith, who is averaging 29.3 points through three games.

“He’s proud of what he can do but he never stops working, he’s always looking to improve his own abilities. That’s what I like about him.”

Hermon also got strong play from junior reserves Tyler Debeay (17 points, seven rebounds) and Chris Harding (14 points, nine rebounds), as well as classmate Ben Adams (13 points, 10 rebounds), who started for injured senior Thomas McGown (concussion).

“I saw today what I normally see in a practice from our juniors,” said Tweedie. “On a team with a lot of seniors the younger guys sometimes don’t get a chance to show what they can do to people. But these juniors are dedicated and work very hard, and when they get a chance to play they make the best of it.”

For 0-4 Fort Kent, the loss was another growing pain for a youthful team rebuilding after finishing 2-16 last winter.

“Our team is full of good people,” said Farrar. “There isn’t a person in there who is a bad person, and that’s where we’re building from. As far as basketball ability, there are some players here, and when we figure it out, we’re going to be good. It’s just a matter of time, I believe.”

Fort Kent was without two starters, as 6-foot-5 junior center Mitchell Ouellet and 5-8 senior guard Ethan Raymond were sidelined with ankle injuries.

Raymond is one of just two seniors on the Warriors’ roster.

The other senior, 6-1 forward Randy Ouellette, led Fort Kent with 16 points and six rebounds. He scored 13 points during a first half that ended with Hermon holding a 45-23 lead.

HAWKS 95, WARRIORS 46

Fort Kent (0-4) Hermon (3-0)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Hartman 2 6 0 0 5 Adams 6 8 13

P. Caron 0 2 0 5 0 Keith 10 20 11 14 31

Rossignol 2 3 0 0 4 Duplisea 2 10 2 2 6

Jandreau 0 4 3 4 3 Shorey 0 6 0

T. Caron 1 3 0 0 3 Gould 4 11 10

S. Bard 1 3 0 0 3 Kane 1 2 2

Kinney 1 2 0 0 2 Deabay 8 12 17

Thibodeau 1 3 0 1 2 Danforth 1 2

Ouellette 5 6 5 6 16 Harding 7 15 14

T. Bard 1 5 0 0 2

Plourde 1 2 2 6 4

Rivera 1 7 0 0 2

Totals 16 46 10 22 46 39 87 16 24 95

Fort Kent 8 23 32 46

Hermon 21 45 69 95

3-pt. goals ? Fort Kent (4-8): Hartman 1-1, T. Caron 1-1, S. Bard 1-1, Ouellette 1-1, Jandreau 0-1, Thibodeau 0-1, Rivera 0-2; Hermon (1-15): Gould 1-3,.Kane 0-1, Keith 0-2, Shorey 0-2, Harding 0-3, Duplisea 0-4

Attendance: 350

JV: Fort Kent 59-56