John Bapst uses height advantage to upend Bucks

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BANGOR – Two nights removed from a 26-point loss on its home court, the John Bapst boys basketball team was in search of a reversal of fortunes.

That reversal came courtesy of a dominant frontcourt performance Thursday night as the host Crusaders used their height advantage to cruise past Bucksport 58-37 in a Big East Conference Class B matchup at the Bangor Auditorium.

“We’ve struggled lately, and we only got 26 points [in a 52-26 loss to Ellsworth] the other night, so to come out and get a win tonight makes everyone feel better about themselves,” said John Bapst coach Jason Mills.

Ethan Cushman, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, led John Bapst to its second win in five games this season with 22 points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots, while 6-2 senior forward Joe Novak added 16 points, eight boards, and three blocks.

Bucksport, which essentially used a four-guard lineup and had only one player taller than 6-1, couldn’t match up with the Crusaders near the basket.

“We have to utilize our big guys, and I thought they finished a little better around the basket tonight,” said Mills. “When the ball got into them, they did a good job with it, and in the second half, they moved it around and other people got shots. The ball has to go through them for us to be successful.”

John Bapst also was more successful controlling the ball than it had been in recent losses against Ellsworth and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln. The Crusaders committed just 12 turnovers, only three in the first half in building a 23-10 lead.

“We took care of the basketball for a change,” said Mills.

Junior guard Chris Maguire led 1-4 Bucksport with 13 points, including a 3-pointer from half-court to end the third quarter. Classmate Todd Freeman added 12 points, while center Chad Cottrell – one of only two seniors on the Golden Bucks’ roster – grabbed eight rebounds.

This was a half-court contest in the first half, a pace that favored the taller Crusaders and left Bucksport confined to the perimeter, where the Golden Bucks made just 4 of 26 field-goal tries before intermission.

Coach Mike Cowing’s club sped up the game with some success in the second half, using a trapping defense to force some John Bapst turnovers and create some easier shots for its offense.

Bucksport pulled as close as 33-25 on Maguire’s long 3 to end the third period and another 3-pointer by Freeman to open the fourth.

But John Bapst solved the press on its next two possessions, with senior guard Tom Keefe (six assists) feeding Novak both times for layups to spark an 8-2 run that gave the Crusaders a 41-27 lead with 5:16 left.

Bucksport hung within 47-35 on another Maguire 3-pointer two minutes later before John Bapst capped off the game with an 11-2 run.

“We knew they would have to do something different in the second half,” said Mills. “They couldn’t just sit in man defense, so I told the kids to expect some type of pressure. When you don’t see it for 16 minutes and then they come out and hit you with it, it takes a little bit to adjust, but I thought in the fourth quarter we did a real good job of moving the ball.”

CRUSADERS 58, GOLDEN BUCKS 37

Bucksport (1-4) John Bapst (2-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Pappas 0 0 0 0 0 Healey 0 2 1

Rump 2 10 0 2 4 Frye 0 0 2 2

Robbins 1 5 0 0 2 N. Smith 1 2

Freeman 5 19 0 0 12 T.Gagnon 1 2

Maguire 5 13 0 0 13 J.Gagnon 0 0

Fish 0 1 0 0 0 Keefe 1 6 1 3

Cooke 0 2 0 0 0 C. Smith 0 0

Bisher 0 3 0 0 0 Adams 1 5 2

Bowden 0 0 0 0 0 Jameson 1 5 4

Kone 0 0 0 0 0 Novak 7 12 2 16

Cottrell 2 6 2 6 6 Shaler 2 6 4

Cushman 8 15 6 22

Totals 15 59 2 8 37 Totals 22 53 14 17 58

Bucksport 5 10 22 37

John Bapst 12 23 33 58

3-pt. goals – Bucksport (5-22): Maguire 3-9, Freeman 2-9, Rump 0-1, Robbins 0-1, Cooke 0-2; John Bapst (0-5): Keefe 0-1, Healey 0-2, Jameson 0-2

JV: John Bapst 42-20

Attendance: 150 (est.)