AUGUSTA – It isn’t easy for 10 players from nine different teams to blend together into a cohesive basketball team, especially with only two or three practices under their belts.

Having five standout players on one team at one time can lead to individualistic performances. However, the West Classes C-D schoolboy squad proved Saturday that it is possible.

The West Stars placed seven of their 10 players in double figures while pulling away in the second half for a 126-97 victory over the East in the McDonald’s East-West Senior All-Star Games at the Augusta Civic Center.

The West C-D boys now hold a 6-5 advantage in 11 years of East-West competition.

Jay’s Scott Hill utilized his 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame while controlling action near the basket for the West. Hill scored 19 of his game-high 31 points in the second half, including nine of his team’s first 14 points, to key the West to victory.

The West quickly extended its 57-49 halftime lead as Hill sandwiched a rebound basket and a layup around a 12-footer by the East’s Chad Fenton (Narraguagus of Harrington). Hill then added a tap-in and a free throw before Max Brown of Falmouth nailed a 3-pointer to make it 67-51 with 17:30 to play.

The East never got closer than 12, while the West put the game pretty much out of reach at 89-67 with an 8-2 spurt near the 11-minute mark. The East team seemed to run out of gas late in the game with Machias’ Ryan Schoppee sitting out the second half with a sprained ankle and Jason Boucher of Penquis of Milo nursing a tender ankle.

The East had led for much of the first, 20-minute half. However, with the East holding a 24-22 advantage eight minutes into the contest, Jason Foster of Hall-Dale in Farmingdale scored seven straight points.

Foster canned a 3-pointer, swished a 14-foot fall-away and threw in a runner from the lane to put the West ahead for keeps aty 29-24.

Hill made 14 of 23 from the field (61 percent) and also snatched 13 rebounds to key the West. Chris McKean of Traip Academy of Kittery contributed 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

The West team, coached by Dave Poulin of Winthrop and Falmouth’s David Halligan, meshed well. The squad recorded 22 assists and 14 blocked shots in the contest.

Josh Plucinski of Hall-Dale in Farmingdale provided 14 points and six rebounds, Jay’s Scott Bessey 12 points and Foster 11 points. Antoine Morin of Forest Hills of Jackman added 10 points, five rebounds and four assists and Wade Plummer of Erskine Academy in South China had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Matt Cassidy of Calais was the offensive catalyst for the East C-D boys with 24 points. He also had six rebounds. Fenton connected for 19 points, while Madawaska’s Ken Daley tossed in 16.

Corey McIver of Woodland turned in a strong all-around effort for the East, scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Lee Academy’s Steve Coombs had six points and 10 rebounds.

Daley and Morin split honors in the C-D boys 3-point shooting competition, each hitting six of 12.

West C-D boys 126, East 97

West C-D boys Stars East C-D boys Stars

Name AG G AF F TP Name AG G AF F TP

Ewell 9 3 0 0 6 Coombs 4 0 8 6 6

Bessey 7 6 0 0 12 Daley 18 8 1 0 16

Brown 8 2 4 2 7 Boucher 4 2 3 2 7

Morin 8 4 2 2 10 Cassidy 22 10 2 1 24

Flanagan 6 3 2 1 7 Green 5 2 0 0 4

Foster 14 5 0 0 11 Russell 2 0 4 1 1

Hill 23 14 1 1 31 Schoppee 5 0 0 0 0

Plummer 9 4 2 2 10 McIver 19 7 6 1 15

McKean 18 8 2 1 18 Shields 5 1 4 2 5

Plucinski 12 7 0 0 14 Fenton 18 8 5 2 19

Totals 114 56 13 9 126 Totals 101 38 33 15 97

West C-D boys All-Stars 57 126

East C-D boys All-Stars 49 97

3-pt. goals: West C-D (5-14): Brown 1-3, Foster 1-4, Hill 2-4, McKean 1-2, Plucinski 0-1; East C-D (6-26): Daley 0-5, Boucher 1-1, Cassidy 3-7, Schoppee 0-2, McIver 0-3, Shields 1-1, Fenton 1-7