The Bangor High School girls basketball team managed to score just 30 points in a 46-30 home loss to Class A South Brunswick on Saturday.
But Bangor regained its scoring touch on Wednesday night against Hampden Academy, pouring in 12 3-pointers on 20 attempts to post a 57-25 victory over the Broncos in a Class AA North contest at the Red Barry Gym.
Bangor, which had lost two of its previous three games and was held to under 35 points in both, improved to 13-2 while Hampden fell to 8-7 and suffered its third straight loss.
Senior guard Cassidy Ireland poured in 15 points for the Rams courtesy of five 3-pointers on seven attempts.
Senior forward Abbie Quinn added 13 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Carmen Maddix had eight points off the bench, Taylor Coombs contributed seven points and five rebounds and Emmie Streams dished out eight assists to go with seven rebounds, three steals and a 3-pointer. Ayzlynn Gifford had six points.
Hampden senior guard Bella McLaughlin, Class AA North’s leading scorer entering the game at 20.3 points per game, was held to 10 points as the Rams employed a box-and-one defense on her.
McLaughlin also had four rebounds.
Lucy Wiles had seven points and five rebounds for the Broncos.
Bangor shot 20-for-40 from the floor compared with Hampden Academy’s 12-for-46. Hampden was 2-for-15 beyond the 3-point arc.
“We moved the ball really well,” Ireland said. “We got it into our post and that opened up our shots outside. Abbie did a good job against their double-team underneath which opened up the outside.”
“When we’re able to get entry passes into the post, people have to sag down and that opens everything up,” said Bangor coach Jay Kemble. “We have a lot of quality shooters and when we shoot with confidence, we’re going to be okay.”
Hampden Academy has had shooting troubles of late, averaging just 33 points in its three straight losses.
“We haven’t made shots,” said Hampden coach Nick Winchester. “Bangor hasn’t shot that well in a long time but they really shot the ball well today.”
Winchester applauded Quinn and Ireland’s performance.
“[Quinn’s] presence forces you to do things to help out on her and when you do that, other people are wide open,” Winchester said. “If they can knock down shots, they’re a tough match-up. Ireland was fantastic.”
Bangor took a 29-12 lead into the intermission. Hampden couldn’t get any closer than 15 the rest of the way.
Bangor was leading 8-7 with a minute left in the first period when two Quinn free throws and a Quinn basket underneath closed out the quarter.
Three-pointers by Gifford and Streams and a baseline jump shot by Coombs expanded the lead to 20-7 before McLauglin’s 3-pointer ended Bangor’s 12-0 run.
The Rams outscored Hampden Academy 9-2 to finish out the first half.
Ireland nailed a three, Quinn scored inside, Coombs converted a Streams pass with a 10-foot jumper and Maddix hit a pair of free throws for Bangor.
A Grace Laster runner provided Hampden Academy’s only points during that span.
Hampden Academy will travel to Deering of Portland for a 7 p.m. game on Thursday while Bangor will journey to South Paris to face Oxford Hills on Saturday at 3 p.m.