Brewer boys stun Messalonskee late

BREWER – The Brewer boys varsity basketball team went into the game knowing this was a test they had to pass. With #2 Messalonskee coming into town the Witches knew what each player had to do. They had lost to the Eagles a couple of weeks ago in Oakland and fully intended to turn that game score around.

Brewer's Kyle Goodrich split two defenders to go in for this basket. Brewer won the game 74-62. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

After a back and forth battle the Brewer boys turned up the heat late in the fourth quarter to build the biggest lead of the game and take a 74-62 win. While two players led the scoring it was a team win from start to finish.

Click here for the full Photo Gallery from this game

This game was a sit on the edge of the seat all the way. Brewer went out to a 7-0 start to the game, but the Eagles came storming back to end the first quarter 17-17. Nothing changed in the second quarter until about 3:52 Messalonskee took their first lead of the game. Brewer rebounded and ended the first-half tied 33-33. There was no reason to change the pace of this game in the third quarter and neither team did as for the third quarter in a row the two teams scored the same number of points to end the third stanza tied again, this time at 51-51.

Then in the fourth quarter, the Witches turned to it's two hot players and they did not disappoint. Aaron Newcomb and Trevor Pearson both poured in 10 points each in the fourth quarter to lead the Witches to the upset win.

Brewer's Aaron Newcomb (20) was able to just get this shot over the hand of Messalonskee's Matt Parent. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Pearson and Newcomb led the Witches with 23 points each; Brady Saunders 11; Kyle Goodrich seven; Gavin Carr five; Ryder Goodwin three; and Colby Smith two.

Brewer's Trevor Pearson (12) goes up for a shot and draws the foul with the basket. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Brewer was 13-of-24 (54 percent) from the foul line. The Witches knocked down seven 3-pointers, three each from Newcomb and Saunders, and one from Goodrich.

Messalonskee, who was right with Brewer all the way until the end was lead by Mason Violette with 20 points; Matt Parent 14; Tucker Charles 12; Parker Cole five; Noah Wood four; Jacob Perry, Nick Woodside, and Andrew MAyo two each; and Tyesn Paz one.

The Eagles were 13-of-20 (65 percent) from the charity stripe. Messalonskee had five 3-pointers, three from Violette and two from Parent.

Messalonskee's Mason Violette goes up strong for a layup over Brewer's Kyle Goodrich. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Brewer was up 59-54 with 4:24 left in the game. That was when they turned it up forcing Messalonskee to play the Witches game. Newcomb went 5-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch and eight of Pearson's 10 points came on the same play that resulted in easy layups over and over. the last four minutes was like coach Goodwin flipped a switch and the players all had the energy to spare and Messalonskee just could not at this point keep up with them.

The win moved the Brewer team up to fifth place in the Maine Principles' Association Heal Point Standings with a 6-4 record and next up is #1 undefeated Hampden Academy. That game is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 11 at 6 p.m. in Hampden.

MESSALONSKEE--17---16---18---11---62
BREWER-------------17---16---18---23---74

Brewer's Brady Saunders nails a 3-pointer to open the scoring for the Witches. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Brewer's Gavin Carr came off the bench and while playing excellent defense managed to put five points on the board.  (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Brewer's Colby Smith (4) takes a 3-point shot as Assistant coach Tyler Smith, Colby's dad, back right, stands with the shot. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)