BANGOR — The Southern Aroostook boys basketball team once again staked its claim in Class D on Monday night.
Led by Dylan Burpee’s 36 points, the Warriors cruised to an 83-56 win over Forest Hills to win their second straight Class D title at the Cross Insurance Center. Southern Aroostook also etched its place in the tournament record books, as the Warriors nailed nine 3-pointers, the most in a Class D final.
“It feels great,” said Burpee, a junior guard. “Even winning with the girls (which beat Seacoast Christian for its second straight title earlier in the evening), not many can say they’ve gone back-to-back with the girls (program). It’s even better to win with the girls.”
Forest Hills finished 18-4. In his final high school game, Mason Desjardins led the Tigers with 34 points, including six 3-pointers.
Both teams traded baskets early, but the Warriors leaned on their size advantage early, pounding the ball in the post to forward Graham Siltz, who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Southern Aroostook led 19-15 after the first quarter.
“We knew (Forest Hills) would come out hard, and they did,” Burpee said. “We knew we had to box out (for rebounds), focus on Mason and their shooters. They’re a good team, they just came out hard.”
“I thought we contained (Forest Hills) really well (defensively),” Southern Aroostook head coach Brett Russell said. “We forced Desjardins and harassed him all over the court. At the end, he was still making a few (shots) but some were coming up short and he was getting a little tired.”
The Warriors jumped ahead of the Tigers in the second quarter, thanks to a 7-0 run and a 12-0 run that gave them a comfortable 43-24 lead at halftime. Burpee scored 22 of his 36 points in the first half.
Forest Hills defenders Cooper Daigle, left, and Braidan Welch knock the ball away from Southern Aroostook’s Trafton Russell during the Class D boys basketball championship game Monday at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
“That second quarter and most of the first quarter, (my shot) just felt easy,” Burpee said.
Forest Hills came out firing in the third, going on an 8-0 run, but the Warriors answered with a 9-0 run of their own and never looked back, lengthening the lead by as much as 29 points midway through the fourth quarter.
“We had a height disadvantage, we just don’t have the height to match up,” Forest Hills head coach Anthony Amero said. “We only start one kid over 6 feet tall, and that’s (Desjardins), who graduates. We’re just small… That’s the biggest thing I saw defensively. You can’t extend out on a zone, because of (Siltz) shooting over us all day. It’s just tough.”
Cooper Daigle had 11 points for Forest Hills. The game was the first time this season the Tigers lost to Class D competition. The Tigers lost to Carrabec, Madison and Richmond — all Class C schools — during the regular season. It’s the fourth consecutive Class D final appearance for the Tigers.
“I’m very proud of the guys, and I just liked the fact we showed no quit to the final buzzer,” Amero said. “It’s been a long season and I’m proud of our guys getting back to a state title game. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, and they work hard, so I’m proud of them. I think we’ve maximized what we have for talent, we just need a little help in the height department.”
The game was a rematch of last year’s Class D final, which the Warriors won 82-61.
“Last year, (winning the title) was pretty gratifying, but this year, we played with the ‘X’ on our chest, so it came a little harder, I thought,” Russell said. “The beginning of the tournament, we was pressing. As we relaxed, things turned out pretty well. I’m elated for the kids.”
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