ORONO – Thursday night’s Class C basketball matchup between Orono and Penobscot Valley of Howland featured more drama than a Broadway play.

When it came time for the final act, the Red Riots’ cast simply had more answers, turning up its defensive pressure and sinking pivotal free throws in the final minutes to pull out a tough 68-61 victory at the high school gym.

The Howlers (5-8), playing without top scorer and rebounder Chad Trapier, who sat out with a sore back, hung tough throughout. They led by as many as six in the first half, but the bigger Red Riots (8-3) were able to solve PVHS’ triangle-and-two defense, which gave coach Ben Goodwin’s club fits early on, in the second half,.

“They mixed it up defensively to try to get us out of our offense a little bit,” said Goodwin. “Luckily, we came around and won the game.”

After going back and forth with the Howlers throughout the second half, a short jumper by Lee Hecker gave the Riots the lead for good with just over 3 minutes to play. Seth Dwyer followed that up with a 3-pointer from the left wing that gave Orono a five-point edge at 61-56.

Senior guard Aaron Awalt pulled the Howlers back within two with a 3 of his own with 2:30 remaining.

After a Dwyer free throw and a layup off a steal by J Spencer put the Riots back up by five, Awalt’s fadeaway in the lane pulled PVHS back within three.

The Howlers had a chance to tie after Adam Callender’s steal on Orono’s next possession, but Joe Gilley’s 3 bounced off the rim and the Riots’ Joel Riemersma went 4-for-4 at the line in the final minute to ice it.

Goodwin wasn’t particularly happy with Orono’s defensive intensity in the first half, as the Riots struggled to contain the torrid shooting of Awalt. He torched the Riots’ “D” to the tune of 25 points on 11-of-26 shooting and was complemented by the solid inside play of Callender, who scored eight of his 13 points in the first half.

“Our defense didn’t play as hard as we could have,” Goodwin said. “They did a great job knocking down shots when they had opportunities. We didn’t take those opportunities away.”

Orono turned up the defensive pressure in the second half, mixing a full-court man trap with a straight up man-to-man defense.

Once Orono got the lead late, the Howlers were forced out of their defensive scheme and couldn’t stop the bigger Red Riots.

“They’re very athletic, they’re big. They’re big, athletic kids,” PVHS coach Dave Cullens said. “That’s where we struggle; we’re not that big a team.”

The Howlers had the edge in shooting, connecting on 47 percent of their field-goal attempts (26-for-55), but the Riots’ advantage at the free-throw line along with their defensive pressure proved to be the difference.

“They made their free throws down the stretch, and they handled the pressure a little better in the end of the fourth quarter,” Cullens said.

Dwyer finished with 17 points for the Riots, while Spencer and 12 and A.J. Coleman 11. Lee Hecker contributed nine points and seven rebounds.

Awalt hauled down eight rebounds for the Howlers.

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RED RIOTS 68, HOWLERS 61

Penobscot Val. (5-8) Orono (8-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Babineau 2 4 0 0 5 Coleman 3 6 11

Gilley 2 7 2 4 7 Rmersma 2 8 8

Thompson 2 2 0 0 4 Spencer 5 10 12

Jones 1 4 0 0 3 Bates 0 0 0

Awalt 11 26 1 2 25 Nason 1 3 2

Hallett 2 2 0 0 4 Dwyer 6 15 17

Callender 6 10 1 1 13 Talty 2 3 4

Levassur 2 8 5

Hecker 4 7 1 9

Totals 26 55 4 7 61 Totals 25 60 15 29 68

Penobscot Valley 18 34 47 61

Orono 19 34 48 68

3-pt. goals – Penobscot Valley (5-8): Awalt 2-2, Jones 1-2, Gilley 1-2, Babineau 1-2; Orono (3-13): Coleman 2-3, Dwyer 1-4, Riemersma 0-5, Levasseur 0-1

JV: Orono 59-42

Attendance: 250 (est.)