HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

Belfast boys trump Camden Hills, first time in recent history

Sturgis, Roman and Davis lead Lions past Windjammers
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 7:30am

Story Location:
25 Keelson Dr
Rockport, ME 04856
United States

ROCKPORT — The Camden Hills boys basketball team was beaten Friday night by the Lions of Belfast 74-64 in an exciting up-and-down the floor game in front of a solid crowd of supporters for both teams.

Anytime these two teams play it’s most always a game; however, this is the first time since 2001 that the Lions have defeated the Windjammers according to Athletic Trainer Chris Audet who has been the trainer in Belfast and now Camden Hills since that time. Belfast went on to play in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Championship. 

For the Lions to come into the Windjammers house and pull off the win, it took a strong athletic team of players and some very good foul shooting down the stretch from Belfast.

Both teams are young, if not in age, than at least in varsity experience, but the Lions were bigger, stronger and faster. Both teams brought their A game Friday night, but the lack of execution by the Windjammers in the first half put them in a hole they were unable to dig out of.

Belfast moves to 2-3 on the season having now won two games in a row after starting the season 0-3. Camden Hills falls to 2-3 with the loss after starting 2-2.

The Lions took an 18-12 first quarter lead and a 30-19 lead into the halftime break. Camden Hills came out and played much better in the third quarter, but not enough to stop the Lions who took a 47-36 lead into the final stanza.

The Windjammers fought hard in the fourth quarter and found their shooting touch, but were unable to stop the the Lions who never slowed down the entire game. Belfast was 19-of-26 from the foul line, in just the fourth quarter and that proved to be the difference. Making foul shots is always important, but when a team has to foul you to get the ball back quicker when time is running out, it is imperative you make those shots.

Fortunately for the Lions, freshman point guard Stanley Sturgis loves shooting the foul shot and went 7-of-8 (88 percent) in the final few minutes of the game.

Belfast is playing with a fire that has not been seen for some time from the Lions under the guidance of first year head coach Marty Messer. Messer is no stranger to Camden Hills fans as he is the former Windjammer girls varsity coach and also assisted coach Jeff Hart with the boys for a couple of years prior to that.

Sturgis led the Lions with 16 points; Zavier Roman 14; Steven Davis and Garrett Hamlin 13 each; Nolan Woods seven; Levi Latham six; Zeke Ventura three and Rory Ambrose two.

Belfast was 30-of-45 (67 percent) from the foul line and they knocked down four 3-pointers, three from Sturgis and one from Roman.

For Camden Hills, Gage Corson led all scorers with 18 points, 13 of those in the second half. Andrew Hall tallied 15, all in the second half, before fouling out late in the fourth quarter and freshman Noah Heidorn added 11. Other scorers for the Windjammers were Josiah Krul eight points; Dalton Oaks five; Jack Gallagher four; Field Leonard two, and Devin Vangel one.

Camden Hills was 5-of-7 (71 percent) from the foul line and they had nine 3-pointers, six in the second half. Corson had four, Hall three and Oaks and Heidorn one each.

Roman led the charge for the Lions in the first quarter scoring seven points. Both teams played better defense in the second quarter limiting the scoring.

Sturgis and Hamlin came out in the second half pouring in six points each for the Lions while Hall found the hoop for the first time in the game with seven points for the Windjammers.

In the fourth quarter, Corson and Hall both got hot for Camden Hills with Corson knocking down 11 points and Hall eight. The Lions only had four baskets from the floor as they were fouled before they could get over the half court line on most possessions. That is where the foul shots became so important and Coach Messer’s boys did not disappoint.

When a high school team tallies a 73 percent shooting total from the foul line when they have 26 opportunities in a quarter they will never hear a coach complain, win or lose.

Throughout the game the athleticism of Belfast’s Steven Davis was on display as he dominated the boards, made some outstanding passes and powered his way up with shots with Windjammers hanging on to him for 13 points. The big man for the Lions was also 7-of-11 for 64 percent from the foul line.

The game may have been an early season game, but both teams played like it was their last. While Camden Hills had an outstanding overall performance, Belfast was just much better on this night.

The two teams will get another shot at each other on Jan. 30 in Belfast and people should look for another outstanding game from these hard working teams.

In the meantime Belfast will travel to Erskine Academy of South China Monday, Dec. 22 for their next game while Camden Hills will host Western Class B first place Morse High School of Bath the same day.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game


Results should be sent to sports@penbaypilot.com.

Ron Hawkes can be reached at hawkesnews@gmail.com.