1959 a Ram-tastic hoops year

This article about the Maine Class L Championship appeared in the March 9, 1959, edition of the Bangor Daily News. The big game was played March 7.

Bangor’s Cinderella Kids, refusing to buckle despite pressure from Lewiston’s blue-garbed Devils, yanked the biggest and hottest coal from the hoop fire by gaining a blue-blade decision over the western champions, 65-64 at the local auditorium Saturday night.

This gave Coach Red Barry his second cage state championship in four years and the right for his Rams to invade Boston March 19 in search of further honors. Their opponent will be Holyoke, Western Massachusetts champion.

So close was this state windup that any call, any one point could have made the difference. The Rams survived a steady, although not too successful press, with coolness and calmness that paid off with the big prize.

Li’l Joe Taylor, key to the success of the Rams all winter, applied the crusher with three seconds to go when he intercepted a Devil pass, a last-ditch effort to yank out the prize plum.

The pressure was never greater when Jim Mooney stepped to the free-toss line with four seconds left. The ball rimmed the hoop, fell off the right side into the hands of Lewiston’s Dick Theriault and he heaved the ball toward a mate at half-court. Li’l Joe stepped in to intercept it, killed the clock and became the second in his family to captain his club to Boston. The same old No. 12, Charlie, did it in 1955.

Until that point it was just a case of who would be ahead at the toot. Lewiston threw everything up but the refs, triggering 81 aims at the target, and 27 of them went through. Except for a six-point Bangor spread just before the half that melted like a snowball in Devil-land, the margin was T-H-I-S close.

When reserve Johnny Doyle fired a Devil spread of 64-61 with two minutes left, it looked like a western repeat.

But someone forgot to tell the Rams. Jim Mooney, hot and cold at times, picked the spot to connect and the margin was shaved to one. With 41 seconds left Arch Tracy, who had kept pitching Paul Fortin out of position all night, outmaneuvered his foe to get the big hoop to tie the count, then added a free toss when an effort was made to stop him.

Lewiston called time with 44 seconds left and as the Devils tried to blast within range, Fortin committed the biggest foul of his career.

That sent Mooney to the line and set the stage for Taylor’s dramatic interception that sent the Devils home broken-hearted after an outstanding bid to capture for their school its first state basketball crown. It also meant the second loss for Lewiston in as many nights. St. Dominic’s had yanked the hockey diadem from their grasp just 24 hours earlier.

The Rams were a fine tribute to the outstanding coaching of Red Barry who began the long road to the title with but a lone letterman. This was his 13th duel against Nat Crowley, and 10th time he came out on top.

But until that pass interception, it was anyone’s ball game. The Devils with platooning guards pressed hard and broke fast while Taylor and Russ Murray, who gave his starriest performance, kept the Rams paced, awaiting the opening and moving in for it.

Fortin tried every shot in the book and many of them went in but Dick Theriault’s tap-in of Doyle’s shot ahead of the buzzer gave Lewiston a 15-14 period edge. Murray triggered Bangor’s attack in that frame as the clubs were separated by no more than a hoop at any time. The entrance of Crowley and Doyle added fire to the Devils.

Tracy and Mooney were behind Bangor’s blast in the second period that set the score at 31-25 at one point, the biggest spread. Nat Crowley Jr. was behind Lewiston’s big bid to get back in the ball game but Doyle’s side shot, Fortin’s rebound poke and hit from out front knifed Bangor’s lead to 33-31 at intermission, a breather while fans wiped away the perspiration.

It took just a minute and three seconds for the Devils to get the edge in the third period. Hoops by Dick Theriault, Fortin and Lionel Rodgrique put the Devils on top 37-33 and the Lewiston fans came to life. Bangor called time to apply the chill.

Joe Taylor took matters in his own hands, bucketed two quick hoops and it was a ball game again. Tracy added a pair but Doyle and Theriault picked up the Devil slack, and with three quarters of the game gone, Lewiston had a 47-46 edge.

Just as they did in the third frame, the Devils opened fast and built up a 51-47 lead. Things were going their way again and when the fifth foul was called on Jim Vanadestine 1:35 into the period, things looked Blue for Bangor, for when Jimmy left so did a lot of Bangor’s defense. Dick Shaw replaced him.

But things changed fast in this game. All the chips were on the table. Taylor’s two free points, a bucket by Mooney and a hoop by the same, very steady Taylor gave the game a Crimson tinge and Lewiston called time at 3:55 of the period.

Fortin turned an out-of-bounds play into a hoop and drove in for another. Tracy hit, but Dick Theriault clicked from out front and Doyle swished from the side for a 62-61 Lewiston lead. Bangor took time.

Only 1:18 was left on the clock.

Doyle’s two free heaves put the Lewiston spread to 64-61 and Devil fans already were thinking of reservations at Boston. Mooney, off on his shooting much of the time, picked a key point to connect. A Devil bomb misfired, and a pass from Taylor hit Tracy and he connected. Fouled on the shot, he offered a big three-point play and the Rams were back on top, 65-64 with 44 seconds left.

That set the stage for one of the most dramatic state windups in many years, the missed foul and the pass interception.

Bangor offered the same fine style that made it the Cinderella club of the eastern play, steady team play that paid off. If any stars could be pointed out they would have to be Taylor and Murray, but Tracy was the major scorer with 24 points. Vanadestine starred on defense and Mooney hit key hoops. Fortin, hitting on 11 of 25 attempts, picked off 25 for top scoring honors.

The Rams put four men in twin digits, including Murray with 16, Mooney with 15 and Taylor with 10. Dick Theriault had 14 and Doyle 11.

Lewiston out-shot the Rams from the floor 27-23, but with its steady press committed fouls and Bangor made good on 19 of 32 attempts. Lewiston, weak at the line, had 10 of 19.