Balance, tough ‘D’ keep Lynx on roll Hanscoms, Paul spark Mattanawcook

Balanced scoring and tough defense have been big keys for the Mattanawcook Academy girls basketball team as it won its fifth straight game Monday and moved to 13-2 in the program’s second season in Eastern Maine Class B.

And all with no seniors.

The Lynx, who topped Class C Central of Corinth Monday night 55-42, beat Presque Isle 53-39 Saturday for their second win over the defending Class B state champion this season. MA edged the Wildcats 69-67 in overtime on Jan. 20.

“It’s just been a matter of the kids learning their roles,” first-year MA coach Brian McDormand said. “They seem to be in a groove. We’re winning the close games, which apparently they didn’t do sometimes last year.”

The high scorer over the Lynx’ recent winning stretch has been junior Bree Hanscom, a 5-foot-9 forward who is averaging about 17 points per game. She pumped in 29 points in the first matchup against Presque Isle, followed by 24 against Hermon on Jan. 24 and 14 points against the Wildcats Saturday.

Hanscom serves as a captain along with fellow junior Michelle Paul, a guard who averages 13.5 ppg.

With no seniors on the floor, the captains have become even more important.

“As [Hanscom] goes, we go,” McDormand said. “Michelle’s been a great leader on the floor. I’ve gotten everything I’ve asked for out of my two captains.”

Hanscom’s sister, freshman guard Brooke Hanscom, has chipped in with 10.5 ppg to round out the balanced scoring.

Brooke Hanscom has been playing some point guard but she’s more offensive-minded than junior Denielle NiCastro, who has also been in charge of running the offense but has played a big defensive role recently. She helped contain PI standout forward Angela Norsworthy Saturday.

“Norsworthy’s too quick for most of our bigger players and she scored 15 points in the first half,” McDormand said. “We put Denielle on her in the second half and she didn’t score. That was a big turning point for us.”

The Lynx have struggled against John Bapst of Bangor, however. MA’s two losses have come against the Crusaders, a team that hurts most of its opposition with one of the best inside duos in the state, Hilary Laferriere and Lauren Nichols.

That inside presence has bitten Mattanawcook, too, although McDormand felt the Lynx played the Crusaders tough in their two matchups.

“We’ve been a bit overaggressive with them and that’s come back to haunt at us at the foul line,” he said.

Messalonskee rolls in tough week

Not only did the Messalonskee of Oakland girls basketball team pick up four wins this week, but the Eagles also remembered their water bottles.

Eagles coach Brenda Beckwith was trying to use last week’s four-game schedule as a tune-up for what the team could face at tournament time. Beckwith was hoping her squad would be focused and remember little things, like, well, their water bottles, which she said the Eagles have occasionally forgotten this season.

In addition to being well-hydrated, Messalonskee emerged with wins over Skowhegan (66-45 on Jan. 22), Hampden (54-42 on Jan. 23), Mt. Blue of Farmington (78-49 on Jan. 25), and wrapped up the week with a hard-fought 56-51 victory over Bangor to move to 13-1.

The Eagles could jump past Cony of Augusta and into first place when the Eastern Maine Class A Heal points are released today but Beckwith stressed that the four wins weren’t as important as the good focus she saw from her team.

“The kids played well. We’re going to see some of those teams again so we’ll have to be focused again,” she said. “But it really doesn’t mean anything. It was [about] did we come prepared to play. I thought, if we came ready to play, good things would happen. And they did.”

Beckwith was also pleased with the endurance shown by the Eagles who sealed the win over Bangor Saturday at the free-throw line.

“It showed in the Bangor game that, to get through a tournament run you’ve got to have your legs under you,” she said. “Bangor was very physical, they’re tall, and they really came at us. Their record doesn’t indicate how good they are. And I thought our conditioning held up really well.”

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.