BANGOR, Maine — A second-half rally carried the No. 4 Wisdom Pioneers to a 46-44 victory over No. 5 Bangor Christian Monday evening at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The Pioneers (13-6) advance to the Class D North semifinals, 8:30 p.m. Thursday against the winner of No. 1 Machias-No. 8 Jonesport-Beals.
Wisdom found itself down by 10 at the end of the third quarter, but found a second wind for the final eight minutes of play.
“We have been a second-half team for the better part of the year,” Wisdom coach Dominique Rossingol said. “I have some super athletic kids that always seem to find that next gear and extra little bit of gas to pull it out.”
That little bit extra came in the form of senior Carter Pelletier, who poured in 10 points in the final frame and finished with a team-high 16 on the night.
“Carter has been doing this for me for the past two years, in two different sports (soccer and basketball),” the coach said. “Many games this year he has said ‘I’ve had enough’ and decides he is not going to let us lose.”
Dominique Gendreau tossed in 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while Kaden Daigle added 10; Camden Pelletier had four; Logan Lagasse, three; and Sam Roy, two.
Both teams started slow in the game’s opening minutes. The first points of the night came after two minutes ticked off the clock as Daigle converted from the baseline. The lead changed hands a few times, with Wisdom on top 8-7 at the end of the quarter.
By halftime, Bangor Christian used a 14-3 run to take a commanding 26-16 lead at the break. Jason Libby’s 3-pointer at the buzzer brought the Bangor Christian fans to their feet.
Clockwise, from top left: Bangor Christian’s Jalen Reed bursts through a banner at the start of Monday night’s Class D North quarterfinal; Wisdom’s Camden Pelletier (right) looks for a teammate to pass to while guarded closely by Bangor Christian’s Colton White; Bangor Christian coach Charlie Colson speaks to Isaiah Jackson; Wisdom’s Kaden Daigle (middle) reaches for the ball alongside Isaiah Jackson. Credit: Joseph Cyr / Houlton Pioneer Times.
In the third quarter, BC managed to keep a 10-point advantage and was on top 38-28 after three quarters.
Coach Rossignol said his team can be “three-happy” at times, but that paid off for the Pioneers Monday evening. Wisdom sank all four of its 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
“The finally started falling and once you see it go through once, it gives you a little more confidence,” the coach said.
At one point in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game, the two squads connected on four straight 3-pointers, with neither team willing to give in.
For Bangor Christian, Conrad Straubel netted 15 points, while Jason Libby chipped in 13; Jalen Reed had 10; and Colton White added six.
No. 5 Bangor Christian ends its season with an 11-7 record.