BANGOR, Maine — Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln entered Wednesday morning’s Northern Maine Class C quarterfinal with a pair of the most decorated athletes in state history in its lineup: Guard Logan Thompson, who has won four individual golf titles, and forward Cayden Spencer-Thompson, the best high school triple jumper in Maine history.
It turns out both are pretty fair hoop players as well.
Thompson made four of his six 3-point attempts en route to 16 points, while Spencer-Thompson added 12 points, including two on a thunderous dunk late in the fourth that put an exclamation point on a 45-37 victory over No. 6 Penobscot Valley of Howland.
[Live blog: Maine high school basketball tournament 2018]
“[We] just tried to stay confident and stay strong in big moments like this,” Thompson said. “We just have to make sure we’re running through our stuff and not getting too carried away and flustered in this moment.”
Mattanawcook Academy advances to a Friday semifinal against Fort Fairfield.
The Lynx (14-6) overcame a bit of hardship, as starting point guard Alex Brown left the game early in the second quarter with an ankle injury after setting an early tone by ripping down seven rebounds in the first period. He returned midway through the third and played the rest of the way.
“It was pretty quiet in the locker room after he went out, but we pulled it together. And it brought a lot of energy to us when he came back on the floor,” Thompson said.
[2018 Maine high school basketball tournament brackets]
Penobscot trailed for nearly the entire game, but did even it up at 32-all when Brad McKechnie was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 5:13 left in the game and made all three free throws. The Lynx closed it out with a 13-5 run, with Thompson scoring seven of those points.
Thompson said coach Lucas Turner delivered a simple message that carried the Lynx down the stretch.
“He was just saying to keep our energy up, don’t get too down on ourselves. They went on a run, but it’s a game of runs,” Thompson said. “So we knew we could come back and get the lead back.”
Penobscot Valley, which finishes off the year 13-6, was led by junior forward Elijah Wood’s 13 points. Grantham Kidon added nine more for the Howlers.
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