The Mattanawcook girls basketball team just went through one of the slowest sections of its schedule with three games in the last two weeks.

That’s one of the reasons Friday night’s 58-45 victory over Old Town was so important for the Lynx of Lincoln.

“It’s really hard to keep motivated all week,” head coach Brian McDormand said. “They work hard, but they like to play, and it’s hard when you don’t have two games a week.”

Mattanawcook has emerged from the slow stretch with a 9-0 record – the Lynx beat Bucksport 71-19 Saturday – and as one of just two undefeated teams left in Eastern Maine Class B.

Before Friday’s Old Town game, MA hadn’t played since a 54-47 win over MDI on Jan. 4.

Things pick up for the Lynx this week, however. They face Ellsworth Wednesday and then have huge tests Friday and Monday, respectively, against Lee and John Bapst of Bangor, and another against Old Town on Jan. 23.

The Class C Pandas are undefeated and have torn through their schedule, while the Crusaders are 11-1.

“We’ve got a lot of games coming at us now,” McDormand said. “If we get beat, it’s not going to be by many [points] because these guys just don’t quit.”

MA’s record probably isn’t surprising considering their senior-less roster last year and the fact that the Lynx made it to the Eastern Maine Class B semifinals before a 57-55 loss to eventual state champion Waterville.

It’s also a group used to winning. Many of MA’s top basketball players also play for the school’s field hockey team, which won a school-record 14 games in 2007.

“We have high expectations, but you have to play every game,” McDormand said. “It’s an old cliche, but you have to be ready. Some of the competition isn’t as good every night and I think the girls play down sometimes. But games like this [against Old Town], I think I can count on them.”

MA’s scoring leaders aren’t a big surprise, either. The Lynx are the only team with two players in the top 10 of the Big East Conference – senior Brianna Hanscom is averaging around 12.4 points per game and her sister, sophomore Brooke Hanscom, is at 8.6 ppg. Senior Michelle Paul, who tied a Class B tourney record with six 3-pointers against Waterville, also does a lot of scoring.

It wasn’t a starter, however, who came up big against Old Town Friday. The Lynx were able to stay in it at the end of the third quarter thanks to Kristy Burleigh, a 5-foot-9 backup forward-center who scored six points in a span of about 2 minutes, 21 seconds. She was 4-for-4 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.

“I’ve been waiting for somebody to step up in the post and Kristy did that,” McDormand said.

Burleigh, a senior, has always come off the bench – a role it’s taken her some time to understand.

“Last year it was hard because I was coming from playing a lot of minutes on junior varsity,” she said. “But I learned my role, which was to support my team from the bench. This year I know I have to come in and box out and get rebounds. Without rebounds you can’t play offense.”

She did that Friday, with seven boards in the second half.

Kelley ankle sprain not serious

Hermon senior Ashley Kelley, who has been the top scorer and rebounder for both the 10-1 Hawks and the Big East Conference so far this season, likely won’t miss much time after she suffered a sprained ankle during a game last week.

Kelley’s father, George Kelley, said the 5-11 center rolled her left ankle against Central of Corinth Thursday night. Hermon wound up winning the game 64-56.

“She’s been doing real well,” he said. “She’s been using a pressure wrap and ice and she’ll probably wear a brace the rest of the season.”

Ashley Kelley missed Saturday’s game against Penquis of Milo, an 80-54 Hermon win, but her father said she will likely play in Tuesday’s matchup against Foxcroft Academy, which would pit her against Ponies standout Vanessa Lougee.

As of last week, Kelley was averaging conference highs of 21.7 points and 11.57 rebounds per game. Lougee is right behind her with 15.5 ppg and 11.50 rpg.

Kelley will then get some rest as Hermon doesn’t play again until Saturday, when the Hawks play Ellsworth.

The injury shouldn’t affect her pitching – Kelley will attend the University of Maine on a softball scholarship next fall – her father added, because she doesn’t use her left foot for pushing off.

jbloch@bangordailynews.net

990-8193