EAST MILLINOCKET – The Schenck Wolverines are one of the highest-scoring schoolboy basketball teams in Eastern Maine – averaging more than 70 points per outing.

But it was defense and rebounding that ignited the team’s offense after intermission Thursday night, leading Schenck to a 68-56 victory over Lee Academy in a battle of Class D powers at Gillis Gymnasium.

The Wolverines earned their 10th straight victory since a season-opening loss at Class C Houlton despite trailing 31-28 at intermission.

After the break, it was a different team, as Schenck dominated the backboards behind the strong inside play of senior center Chris Byron and got red-hot outside shooting from guards Kerry Thompson and Mike Lowell.

That was complemented by a tightening of the defense, as the Wolverines limited Lee to 26 percent (9 of 35) shooting in the second half.

“Coach [Steve LeVasseur] came out at halftime and told us we had to pick it up on defense and start rebounding,” said Lowell. “That’s pretty much what we did. We came out playing tougher ‘D’ and started hitting the boards.”

The loss drops Lee to a deceptive 5-3, given that its losses have come to three teams with a combined one loss this season – Schenck and unbeatens Calais and Deer Isle-Stonington.

“I’ve told people that Schenck’s the best team in Class D,” said Lee coach Randy Harris. “We’ve played Deer Isle and I know a little about Central Aroostook, but I’ve told people right now Schenck’s the best team in Class D and we played with them in their gym.”

Thompson scored 11 points in the third quarter while Lowell added nine points and two key blocked shots as Schenck used its transition game to outscore Lee 22-10 to take a 50-41 lead into the final period.

“We came out with a lot more intensity,” said Byron, “and once the offense started flowing, the defense came along easier for us.”

Lee had one final run, drawing within 50-46 as senior forward Tom Bird – who scored his 1,000th career point late in the first half – fed Devan Parker for a fast-break layup and then hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:30 left in the game.

But senior guard James Graham answered for Schenck with a 3-pointer from the left wing, and after a Parker follow-up shot, Byron sandwiched two inside baskets around a layup by Thompson as Schenck took a 59-48 lead with three minutes left.

“That was just too big a run to let a good team go on,” said Harris of Schenck’s third-period effort. “The kids battled back and got it back to four, but we just couldn’t quite get over that hump.”

Thompson finished with a game-high 22 points for Schenck, while Byron had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Lowell scored 15 points.

Bird led Lee with 20 points, while Parker had 17 points and 15 rebounds and Peter Pickering scored 15 points.

Pickering had 13 and Bird 10 in the first half as Lee capitalized on its offensive rebounding and Schenck’s propensity to settle for quick shots from the perimeter.

“I don’t think we were very fluid,” said Lowell. “We were shooting a lot of poor shots, and we weren’t moving the ball as well as we could. We were taking a lot of questionable shots, and in the second half we came out and started moving the ball better.”

WOLVERINES 68, PANDAS 56

Lee Academy (5-3) Schenck (10-1)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Coulombe 0 0 0 0 0 Byron 8 17 20

Connick 0 0 0 0 0 Graham 2 5 5

Surratt 1 6 0 0 2 K.Thmpsn 8 19 4 6 22

Parker 8 18 0 0 17 Deveau 0 0 0

Pickering 5 17 2 2 15 Lowell 6 17 15

MacDnld 1 1 0 0 2 McLghlin 1 2

Bird 6 21 5 6 20 Hutchins 0 0 0

Torres 0 1 0 0 0 LeVsseur 0 0

L.Thmpsn 2 3 4

Totals 21 64 7 8 56 Totals 27 63 13 68

Lee Academy 16 31 41 56

Schenck 12 28 50 68

3-pt. goals – Lee Academy (7-19): Bird 3-4, Pickering 3-8, Parker 1-3, Surratt 0-4; Schenck (6-16): Lowell 3-5, K. Thompson 2-6, Graham 1-3, Byron 0-2

JV: Schenck 75-69

Attendance: 600 (est.)