15U advance to ASGR Summer Basketball quarterfinals

Firecrackers knock off Southern California Select, 43-41, to advance

The Maine Firecrackers 15U Team stamped their ticket to the quarterfinals of the ASGR Summer Playoffs with a hard fought 43-41 victory over the So Cal Select team from California. They now play on Thursday versus a very strong FBC team out of the Atlanta area at 10:10

The game versus So. Cal could not have started better for the Firecrackers team. Displaying outstanding passing and team basketball they rushed out to a 12-2 lead. Maggie Whitmore, heading into her 9th grade year at South Portland started the scoring with a layup off a great feed from Emme Poulin and an “and one” put back to score 5 quick points. Meghan Graff than hit a jump shot and received a nice look from Eva Mazur for a score. Finally Graff found Poulin on a perfect penetration and dish out pass for a 3 pointer to cap the early scoring.

The Select squad came right back and cut the lead to 3 points. The insertion of Katie Whitmore re-energized the Maine team. Not to be outdone by her little sister, Katie scored on a driving lay up and also scored a traditional 3 point play. Sophie Glidden found the scoring column with a 3 pointer of her own from behind the arc and the lead was pushed to 20-16 with 3 minutes to play in the half. The Firecrackers defensively forced the Select squad into difficult shots and continually forced them out of their rhythm. Glidden and Mazur connected 1-2 from the foul line, with Katie Whitmore again showing great energy and tenacity, rebounded the Mazur miss and completed the first half scoring 24-18.

The FIrecrackers started the second half much like the first half as Glidden hit a great driving layup and the Maine Ladies executed two perfect out of bounds plays as Glidden and Maggie Whitmore scored to lay ins and MacKenzie Ouellette hit a nice left handed layup off a fast break to push the lead 32-23 with 10 minutes left in the half.

Maine’s only downside to the 2nd half was giving up offensive rebounds and not completing their rotations on defense leading to a number of fouls against the team. With 6 minutes to play Coach Mike Nelson implored his team now at 9 fouls for the half, to keep them from getting to the line and make them “earn” their points. The team did just that until the final seconds of the game.

Offensively the team struggled down the stretch only a Graff and Poulin driving scores accounting for baskets. The team seemed ready to cruise into the Semi Finals as they lead 38-27 with about 4 minutes to play. As has been the teams tendency all year they have a way of making games close whether coming from behind or holding on for victories. The Select team made a run down the stretch however, a couple of Glidden free throws and a possession saving offensive rebound from Katie Whitmore were the difference as a last second 3 from So Cal could only cut the score to a final of 43-41. The team is excited about the opportunity to continue to represent Maine as they advance in the event.