Noah Taggert scores on an uncontested shot during Medomak’s 62-55 win over Transit Tech on Monday, Dec. 29 at the Portland Expo. (Mic LeBel photo)
The Medomak Valley boys basketball team beat York 61-54 in an exhibition game at the Varsity Maine Holiday Hoops Showcase on Monday, Dec. 29 at the Portland Expo. The victory avenged a loss to the Wildcats in the Class B South regional final in February that was the Panthers’ only loss last season.
The holiday tournament scrimmage game was a battle between two of the top teams in Maine. York is 7-0 this season and is in first place in the Class B South Heal Point Standings with Medomak (5-1) close behind in second place.
York held a 15-13 lead after the first quarter, but Medomak kept pace and eventually surpassed the Wildcats for a 30-28 advantage at halftime due to a dozen points from Mason Nguyen, who finished the game with 21.
Medomak’s Kollin Donlin took over in the second half, scoring 18 points of his 21 points to boost the Panthers to the win. He also had a strong game rebounding, passing to earn assists, and stealing the ball from the Wildcats while on defense.
The Panthers led 44-41 after three quarters and then outscored the Wildcats 17-13 in the final frame as they held off a furious comeback attempt. In addition to the 21 points apiece from Donlin and Nguyen, Luke Cheesman scored 8, Jacoby McDaniel and Noah Taggert 4 each, and Micah Fagonde 3. Reece McDonald led the Wildcats with 26 points.
Mason Nguyen launches a 3-pointer during Medomak’s 62-55 win over Transit Tech on Monday, Dec. 29 at the Portland Expo. (Mic LeBel photo)
Medomak 62 – Transit Tech 55
The Panther boys beat Transit Tech, of Brooklyn, N.Y., 62-55 in their opening game of the Varsity Maine Holiday Hoops Showcase on Monday, Dec. 29.
Medomak pounced on the cold shooting Transit Tech squad and jumped out to an 18-8 lead after the first quarter. Transit Tech scored the next five points to narrow the margin to 18-13 before Medomak matched the rally to go back up by 10 at 23-13. Transit Tech hit a 3-pointer with 4:48 left in the half to make it 23-16. The Panthers closed out the first half with a dynamic 14-point run that gave them a commanding 37-16 lead at halftime.
The Beavers hit a long 3-point shot to start the second half, but Medomak took advantage of a technical foul on the Transit Tech coach. Micah Fagonde scored both penalty free throws at the foul line, Medomak got the ball, and Kollin Donlin scored a layup to stake the Panthers to their biggest lead of the game at 41-19.
Transit Tech rallied behind a pair of 3-pointers to close the gap to 48-37 at the end of three periods. The Beavers then hit a pair of consecutive 3-point shots early in the fourth frame to close the score to 54-46, prompting Medomak coach Nick DePatsy to call a timeout to regroup with 3:38 remaining.
The Beavers narrowed the Panther lead to 54-48 before Mason Nguyen converted an alley-oop on an inbound pass from Owen Dostie to put the Panthers back up by eight. After Medomak took a 58-51 lead, the Beavers were able to close the margin to four points, 58-54, with 29 seconds remaining. The Panthers scored a basket and two out of four foul shots while holding the Beavers to one point in the final seconds to close out the game.
“We will need to make more foul shots if we are going to win tough games this season,” DePatsy said. “Kollin Donlin had a strong game for us on both offense and defense. He’s really become a big impact player for us this season and he showed that tonight.”
Scoring for Medomak were Donlin 18, Mason Nguyen 16, Owen Dostie 10, Micah Fagonde 9, Luke Cheesman 3, and Carter Jackson, Noah Taggert, and Jacoby McDaniel 2 apiece.
