Knowing his team could use an extra offensive weapon, Marshwood girls’ basketball coach Steve Freeman called up freshman Angelina Bisson to the varsity with three games left in the regular season.
Freeman’s decision paid dividends in Monday’s Class A South quarterfinal. Bisson scored 16 points off the bench and made back-to-back critical baskets in the fourth quarter as the No. 4 Hawks beat fifth-seeded Fryeburg Academy 40-32 at the Portland Expo.
“She’s played four varsity games for us now,” Freeman said of Bisson. “She’s been playing really well for us, and especially with us struggling on offense we needed someone to step up, and she’s not scared for sure.”
Marshwood (15-4) will face top-seeded Greely (18-1) at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in a regional semifinal at Cross Insurance Arena.
Fryeburg (9-10) had just 13 points through three quarters but early in the fourth cut the deficit to 25-21.
“I thought if we could get it to four points or five points the youth on Marshwood would show a little bit and to their credit (it) didn’t,” said Fryeburg Coach Sean Watson.
Bisson broke free for a transition layup against the Raiders’ press and then banked in a 3-pointer high off the glass to push the lead to 30-21 with 3:37 remaining. Fryeburg got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
“I didn’t mean to do that. I didn’t mean to bank it,” Bisson said. “I used to not have courage but now I just feel like if I miss it, shake it off and shoot it again.”
Marshwood started four sophomores and brought two other sophomores off the bench, including Noelle Barette, who scored seven points and snagged a team-high eight rebounds.
Marshwood led 12-10 at the half. Both teams were 4 of 17 from the floor with nine turnovers. Fryeburg missed five of its seven free-throw attempts in the half and shot 10 of 21 for the game.
Marshwood slowly expanded its lead by outscoring Fryeburg 9-3 in the third quarter.
The Raiders’ top scoring threat, Mackenzie Buzzell, scored nine points. Nicole Bennett had eight. Mikayla Cooper and Kaylin Delaney each scored seven points, all in the fourth quarter.
Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or:
scraig@pressherald.com
Twitter: SteveCCraig
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