BANGOR, Maine — The George Stevens Academy Eagles had too much offense, too much defense and a little too much of everything for Schenck on Friday night.
The Eagles from Blue Hill showed why they were favored coming into the Class C North tournament, blitzing the Wolverines from East Millinocket for a 68-39 victory at the Cross Insurance Center.
Tyler Schildroth powered GSA’s balanced attack, pouring in a team-high 19 points, leading three George Stevens players in double figures.
Coach Dwayne Carter’s club (19-1) will take on Hancock County rival Bucksport for the regional title here Saturday evening at 8:45. The No. 3 Bucks advanced with a 49-44 win over No. 7 Hodgdon.
Schenck concludes its season at 17-4.
The Eagles used stingy interior defense and balanced offense to build a 33-16 halftime advantage that Schenck would never threaten.
George Stevens never trailed after Chase converted on an 8-footer in the first two minutes of the contest. Schenck had taken an early 1-0 lead after Chris Kelly sank a free throw.
The scrappy Wolverines battled hard behind the gritty play of Justin Thompson (22 points), who had 10 of his team’s first-half points.
But the bigger Eagles did not let the Wolverines get any inside penetration, forcing Schenck to try to beat them from the perimeter.
That philosophy worked, as Schenck was only 2-for-9 from behind the arc in the first 16 minutes.
George Stevens maintained control in the second half, leading by as many as 32 points while using its depth to wear down Schenck.
Four Eagles wound up in double figures on the night, with Nick Szwez connecting for 16 points, Jarrod Chase 12 and Max Mattson 10.
Mattson, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, was a force in the interior on defense for George Stevens, and his presence prevented the Wolverines for getting any penetration.
