Lawrence rallies, holds off Broncs for spot in semi ‘Dogs to play Edward Little

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AUGUSTA – The Lawrence of Fairfield boys basketball team has faced its share of adversity this winter – particularly a series of player suspensions in the aftermath of an altercation during a regular-season game in late January.

But the Bulldogs have lived up to their pugnacious nickname since then, particularly Saturday when senior center Wes Sexton scored the go-ahead basket with less than a minute left as Lawrence outlasted No. 3 Hampden Academy 49-46 in an Eastern Maine Class A quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center.

Lawrence will face No. 2 Edward Little of Auburn, a 51-41 overtime victor over Messalonskee of Oakland, in Wednesday’s 7:05 p.m. semifinal.

The Bulldogs’ win avenged a preliminary-round loss to the Broncos last winter and advanced coach Mike McGee’s sixth-ranked Bulldogs to their first regional semifinal since 2000.

“I thought mental toughness was a big thing for us,” said McGee. “This may be the toughest team mentally I’ve ever coached. We’re not the most talented team, we didn’t have a player on the first or second [All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference] team, but boy are they tough.”

Sexton’s go-ahead basket, off a drive into the lane by guard Devon Costigan, gave Lawrence (12-8) a 44-42 lead with 52.4 seconds left. After Hampden (11-8) missed two free throws, Costigan made two from the line to extend the margin to four points with 42.7 seconds remaining.

Hampden’s Antonio Juco scored twice on drives to the basket in the late going, but Ben Violette went 3 for 4 at the line to help Lawrence maintain its lead.

“I was worried because we watched an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter against Mount Ararat [in this year’s preliminary round] go to eight because of missed foul shots,” said McGee, whose team made 7-of-10 fourth-quarter free throws against Hampden. “I was worried, but the kids wanted it and they stepped up.”

Hampden had one last chance to tie the game after Violette made 1 of 2 from the line with 1.9 seconds left.

The Broncos inbounded the ball to Juco near midcourt, but by the time they could call time just 0.3 seconds remained – only enough time to tip the ball.

After the timeout, Hampden inbounded the ball to Brad Haase, whose running 3-pointer from 30 feet was too strong at the buzzer.

But more than Haase’s last-second prayer not being answered, Hampden was hurt in this game of few easy baskets by several close-range shots that didn’t fall.

“We didn’t finish our layups,” said Hampden coach Russ Bartlett. “We had probably had eight points worth of shots at the basket that I would say that we would normally make that we didn’t make. If we make those, they would have had to foul us at the end instead of us having to foul them.”

Haase scored a game-high 19 points for Hampden, including six in the game’s first five minutes as Hampden took a 13-2 lead.

But this game soon settled into what was anticipated, a low-scoring defensive struggle much like Lawrence’s 32-31 win at Hampden on Jan. 3.

Brooks Spaulding came off the bench to score six second-quarter points as Lawrence closed to within 20-15 when Sexton followed his own miss to beat the halftime buzzer.

The Bulldogs then took their first lead at 26-25 on a fast-break layup by Costigan midway through the third quarter, but then this game took on a see-saw look. Hampden twice regained a five-point lead only to have Lawrence rally, the final time when Sexton scored twice inside and Costigan scored on an offensive rebound to give the Bulldogs a 42-41 lead before Haase tied the game for the final time on a free throw with 1:57 left.

“Both teams take a lot of pride in guarding in the half-court, and both teams take a lot of pride in getting back on defense,” said Bartlett. “There’s no transition, really, unless you make a steal right out front, so it’s a grinder every time, five on five, and it’s a matter of finding good shots in that five-on-five environment.

“I thought 45 points would win this game. I’m surprised it took almost 50.”

In the day’s second game, the Red Eddies outscored Messalonskee 14-4 in overtime behind five points from Kyle Philbrook.

Philbrook finished with 17 points for the winners, and Benjamin Hartnell added 11.

Orlando Holmes paced the Eagles with 16 points.

Messalonskee (10-10) 41

Pelletier 2-1-5, Bernier 3-2-9, Berkner, Gilbert 1-0-3, Hash 1-0-2, Brann 1-0-2, Dubois 2-0-4, Holmes 4-5-16

Edward Little (15-4) 51

K. Philbrook 6-3-17, Hartnell 3-5-11, Prue 2-1-5, Therriault 2-2-6, Daigle 1-0-2, J. Philbrook 2-01-5, Sharif 2-1-5

3-pt. goals: Bernier, Gilbert, Holmes 3; K. Philbrook 2

Messalonskee 13 25 31 37 41

Edward Little 13 20 27 37 51

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BULLDOGS 49, BRONCOS 46

Lawrence (12-8) Hampden (11-8)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Costigan 2 2 3 3 7 Hersey 2 3 4

Spaulding 3 6 2 3 8 Burke 0 0 0

Haney 0 1 0 0 0 Turner 1 2 2

Violette 0 2 3 4 3 Evans 0 2 0

Champgne 0 2 0 0 0 Moore 1 6 3

Perkins 2 6 0 0 4 Haase 6 13 19

Moody 0 0 1 3 1 Juco 3 7 8

Poulin 3 8 4 5 12 Burditt 1 2 2

Sexton 6 15 2 3 14 Brown 3 9 8

Totals 16 42 15 21 49 Totals 17 44 10 17 46

Lawrence 5 15 34 49

Hampden 15 20 33 46

3-pt. goals – Lawrence (2-8): Poulin 2-5, Haney 0-1, Violette 0-2; Hampden (2-7): Haase 2-6, Evans 0-1