BANGOR – Just what does it take to get Heath Cowan to yank off his tie during a Skowhegan girls basketball game?

“When my temperature rises and I’m at a point where I can’t breath anymore,” said the Indians coach, his tie hanging loosely around his neck after Friday night’s game against Bangor.

Cowan had plenty to be frustrated with, especially the foul trouble the Skowhegan starters found themselves in during the third quarter.

And he also had a lot to be pleased with.

The Indians survived a playoff-like atmosphere at Red Barry Gymnasium, outlasting Bangor 64-55.

“The kids did a great job. We were in foul trouble the whole game,” said a calmer Cowan after the game. “We had other kids stepping up and playing different roles. So I’m very pleased with our effort.”

There was plenty of cause for the intense game. It was the marquee matchup of the season so far in the KVAC Class A North as the Rams, ranked No. 1 in the latest Eastern Maine Class A Heal points, were trying to avenge a season-opening loss to Skowhegan, which was No. 2.

The Indians, coming off a loss to Messalonskee of Oakland, improve to 9-1.

“We knew we were going to get their best game and they were going to be hyped up,” said Nicole Paradis, the Skowhegan senior point guard who scored 11 points. “Coach told us we had to have a lot of intensity. Being in their gym we knew they were going to get a huge crowd and we knew it was going to be loud.”

Bangor’s winning streak ended at eight in a row, and the Rams are now 8-2.

The Rams managed to keep things close early, grabbing a 14-13 lead on an Allie Clukey jumper 25 seconds into the second quarter.

But turnovers and fouls helped the Indians go on a 13-0 run. Danielle Miller had five of her 10 points on two free throws and a 3-pointer in that stretch.

Skowhegan had a 14-point lead at halftime – Bangor had 19 turnovers in the first half -and was up by 16 at the end of the third quarter.

Bethany Sevey led the Indians with 15 points. She hit two 3-pointers as Skowhegan went 6-for-15 from the arc.

Skowhegan’s top defensive concern was stopping Bangor’s post players. Indians senior Kayla Thompson and junior Megan Smith guarded Bangor forward Serena Dubois and center Kelsey Curtis.

Those two Bangor seniors were held to a combined five field goals and 14 points. Curtis finished with 11.

“Their post players are amazing so we had to work hard in practice all week,” said the 5-91/2 Smith, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. “We practiced all their front plays and everything they do. We just had to work hard.”

Backup forward Tawyna Godinez led the Rams with 14 points, including seven in the fourth quarter.

Bangor had an uncharacteristically poor night at the free-throw line, making just 12 of 28 attempts.

The Rams could have made big inroads at the line – the Indians picked up their 10th team foul 2:40 into the fourth quarter. Instead, Bangor went 8-for-16 in the second half.

The Rams held the Indians to four points through much of the fourth and cut Skowhegan’s lead to 54-49 when Amy Hackett put in a basket after stealing an inbounds pass seconds after Godinez had scored.

“Over the last 16 minutes we played well,” Bangor coach Tom Tennett. “We just didn’t play well in the first half. We were standing around, we weren’t moving.”

But the Indians rebuilt their lead at the free-throw line. Godinez hit a jumper with 1:07 left to cut the lead to six points. Skowhegan responded with six free throws in the final minute – more than enough offense to withstand a Noelle Lincoln 3-pointer at the buzzer.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Rams. They face undefeated defending Class A state champ Cony of Augusta Monday.

“One thing about this schedule, it’s going to get you ready for the tournament,” Tennett said. “… You hate to lose, but I think we learned from it. We know if we play the way we did in the last 16 minutes, we’re as good as anyone.”

INDIANS 64, RAMS 55

Skowhegan (9-1) Bangor (8-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Saydjari 1 1 1 3 3 Angst 2 5 7

Paradis 4 9 0 1 11 Heath 0 1 0

Sevey 5 13 3 4 15 A.Hackett 3 7

Atkinson 0 0 0 0 0 Smith 2 5 6

LaGross 1 2 3 4 5 Lincoln 1 5 3

Pinkham 1 2 0 0 2 Wadleigh 0 0

Thompson 0 1 6 10 6 Dubois 1 6 3

Miller 1 5 7 9 10 Curtis 4 8 11

Veinotte 0 0 0 0 0 Clukey 2 2 4

Smith 5 7 2 4 12 Godinez 6 6 14

Brown 0 0 0 0 0

Evans 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 18 40 22 35 64 Totals 21 50 12 28 55

Skowhegan 13 32 48 64

Bangor 12 18 32 55

3-pt. goals – Skowhegan (6-13): Paradis 3-5, Sevey 2-4, Miller 1-4; Bangor (1-3): Lincoln 1-3

JV: Bangor 36-32

Attendance: 350 (est.)