AUGUSTA — Watch Parker Desjardins and Hunter Cuddy on the basketball court, and it’s obvious they’ve played a lot of ball together. Cuddy, a Forest Hills senior, and Desjardins, a junior, know when to get each other the basketball. They know how to get open, and they really know how to knock down a shot.

“When I see he’s on, we’ve got to give him the ball. We’ve got to feed who’s hot and keep it going. If he’s feeling good or I’m feeling good, we’ve got to feed each other the ball,” Cuddy said after the Tigers’ 86-29 win over Seacoast Christian in the quarterfinals of the Class D South tournament Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center.

In a small town like Jackman, where you can’t help but be close to your teammates and classmates, Cuddy and Desjardins are closer than most. They grew up as neighbors, and the time they’ve spent shooting baskets and playing pickup games together can probably be measured in months, not hours or days.

“I know Jackman’s not that big, but they grew up together on the same street. They just play together all the time,” Forest Hills coach Anthony Amero said. “Those kids take shot after shot after shot on their own time. It’s nothing we’ve done for them. Those kids just work hard.”

Saturday, Cuddy joined Desjardins in Forest Hills’ 1,000-point club. The defending Class D state champion and top-seed in the region riding a 41-game win streak, Forest Hills (19-0) will face No. 4 Temple Academy at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday in the semifinals.

Cuddy took the court 19 points shy of the milestone. After scoring just three points in the first quarter, it looked like Cuddy might need to continue his quest in Wednesday’s regional semifinal against Temple. Then, he went off.

Cuddy scored 16 points in the second, as Forest Hills outscored Seacoast 33-0 in the quarter. With 24 seconds left in the half, Cuddy launched a long three from the top of they key.

Swish. History.

“Nineteen points, I could see myself getting it in a couple of games, so I wasn’t worried about getting it in the first game. I was just worried about winning it,” said Cuddy, cradling the game ball in his left arm minutes after it had been presented to him in a short postgame ceremony. “I’d made three in a row at that point, and I always feel hot, so I always let it go.”

“He knew realistically that he was going to have a shot at a couple of games here. Nineteen for him, you’re talking about a kid who’s put up 35 with ease. He knows he’s going to get his looks, and he was pretty relaxed about it,” Amero said. “Still, he’s a high school boy, and in Jackman basketball is big. Everywhere he’s gone for the last month, he’s heard ‘Oh, you’re going back to states. Hey, good luck with 1,000.’ I’m just happy he can enjoy it now and not have to worry about it.”

At a larger school, Cuddy might have become a football standout rather than hoops. He’s strong, and Amero thinks with his rugged build Cuddy would’ve been an excellent fullback or linebacker. Cuddy is the 11th member of the Forest Hills 1,000-Point Club. Friday night, alumn Josh Kipp (1,073 points) called Amero from California to wish Cuddy well.

“(Kipp) said ‘How’s he handling it?’ I said ‘Better than you. He doesn’t shoot every time,'” Amero said.

Alumni are a big part of the Forest Hills boys basketball programs. Those who live in the Jackman area eagerly play the current team in an alumni game every preseason, and it’s not unusual for alumni to pop into practice to provide depth when the usually undermanned Tigers want to scrimmage.

When Desjardins scored his 1,000th point in an 88-33 win over Vinalhaven in early December, also on a long three, the alumni quickly sent congratulations. With 26 points in Saturday’s win, Desjardins is now 83 points from tying Evan Worster’s school record of 1,555 points.

A starter since joining the team as an eighth-grader, Desjardins would likely already own the Forest Hills scoring record if he hadn’t missed much of his freshman season with a broken foot. Worster, who led the Tigers to their first state title in 2013, is now a science teacher at Forest Hills

“It’s been kind of fun because (Worster will) come into practice and play against them. I said ‘Make sure you don’t turn out his ankles,'” Amero said.

Desjardins watched Cuddy’s march toward the milestone, and encouraged his friend throughout the season.

“I’ve been trying to keep him positive. A few bad games, he got down on himself sometimes, but you’ve got to keep positive. Let it fly, right? Let it fly,” Desjardins said. “When he makes a shot, I get pumped up.”

Added Cuddy: “Not that I’ve been chasing him, but the competitiveness is always good to be around.  I love looking up to somebody to work toward, and Parker always works hard. Working toward what he can do always makes me work more.”

Neither Cuddy nor Desjardins let pursuit of 1,000 interrupt the flow of the game. A case in point from Saturday. Midway through the first quarter, Cuddy drove the lane and had a look at a layup. He saw teammate Joey Poulin open under the basket for a better shot, and made the pass. Poulin made the layup and the free throw when he was fouled while shooting.

“Getting baskets and doing what’s right is always the best play,” Cuddy said.

“That’s Hunter, though. That’s been his M.O.,” Amero added. “We don’t want to focus on one person, but we do focus on one that night who has the hot hand. Last year we had five guys who all had 30-plus as individuals in different games. This year we’ve had three guys who have had 30-plus in individual games, but we’ve had four now that have had over 20.”

Having a pair of 1,000-point scorers on one team is rare. With the way Desjardins and Cuddy push each other, Amero isn’t surprised it happened this season for the Tigers.

“They’re very unselfish. If somebody has a hot hand, they’ll feed that person until the well is dry,” Amero said. “I’ve never had two in the same season, and it’s special. It will be a nice thing to talk about 20 years from now.”

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