GARDINER – The Mt. Blue High School boys basketball team improved their record to 3-1 after defeating Gardiner High School 82-36 Tuesday night.
The Cougars started off strong right out of the gate, building up a 12-0 start before the Tigers scored their first bucket. Relentless defense and consistently strong shooting displayed the talent on the Cougars team. The first quarter wrapped up with a 21-3 lead, with Nolan Leso sinking a three pointer off of Jayden Meader at the buzzer.
The second quarter started off with Gardiner applying a full court press. Mt. Blue handled the pressure well, often finding the weak side man to break the press. The team displayed their rebounding ability, with Cougar’s forward Nicolo Barbieri swooping in for a rebound, then driving to the hole to complete the play. Tiger’s guard Brady Atwater returned the Cougar’s buzzer beating three with one of his own to make the score 37-13 heading into halftime.
The third quarter featured much of the same style of play, however the Cougars applied more defensive pressure and forced several key turnovers. Senior guards Zach Poisson and Chandler Briggs both attacked the rim consistently throughout the period, helping the team build their lead and maintain the group’s momentum. The crew finished the quarter leading 52-21.
The final quarter displayed Mt. Blue’s willingness to share the ball with one another, with the Cougars looking to make an additional pass in order to get the best shot. Mt. Blue’s Evans Sterling often faces intense pressure due to his offensive skills. Sterling used this to his advantage and got teammates Poisson, Meader, Briggs and others open.
The top scorers for the Cougars include Sterling with a game-high 21 points, Meader with 15 points, Leso with 14, and Barbieri with 10. This marks the third game with several players reaching double digits in the scoring column.
The Cougars next game is Thursday, December 22, against defending State Champions Nokomis. Tip off is at 7 p.m.
