MORSE FORWARD Ethan Winglass (20) goes up for two of his game-high 16 points in the Shipbuilders’ 55-46 KVAC Class B boys high school basketball win over Camden Hills on Monday at Bath Middle School. Looking on for Camden Hills is Terron Bailey (13).
It was 50 years ago that the Bath Middle School gymnasium, or auditorium as it was called then, was open, with the first varsity high school basketball game a nail-biter won by Westbrook over the Morse boys, 56-55.
MORSE GUARD Casey Watson (21) looks for someone to pass to while being guarded by Camden Hills’ Terron Bailey. The Shipbuilders improved to 7-0 with a 55-46 win on Monday at the Bath Middle School gjym.
The home fans leaving the gym on Monday departed with smiles after watching Morse win 55-46 over Camden Hills, giving the Shipbuilders a perfect 7-0 mark heading into 2014, with Maranacook slated to visit on Friday.
Buoyed by the return of point guard Keegan McDonough, the Shipbuilders grabbed an 11-6 first-quarter lead and swatted away every Windjammer rally.
“I like the way that we played for four quarters,” said Morse coach Sam Hayes, who was pleased to see his team play with confidence against the 5- 2 Windjammers. “ Confidence is the biggest thing, and we are starting to get that. We have a lot of room for improvement, but they are really digging in and becoming a good team. They believe in each other.”
McDonough, who returned to the lineup in Morse’s 50- 49 win over Waterville on Friday, had a few missteps on Monday, committing six turnovers. But, his ball- handling skills in traffic against the Camden Hills full- court pressure made a difference, along with his 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
“He can do so much in the open court,” said Hayes, who rotated guards Jacob Freeman, Casey Watson, McDonough and Matthew Belanger throughout the game. “We try to keep people fresh, pretty much going eight deep. We are able to rotate kids in. The key is for each of them to know what we are trying to do. We handled Camden’s pressure well tonight.”
“I seem like I am all over the place right now,” said McDonough, who admits he is still trying to find his game. “ I made some turnovers tonight and that has to get better, but it is good to be back out there and competing with my teammates.”
Early lead
McDonough watched throughout most of the first quarter as fellow guard Jacob Freeman drained a 3-pointer for a 6- 3 Morse lead. Camden answered on a wide-open trey by Terron Bailey, but the Shipbuilders replied with a 3-pointer from Liam McDonough to claim a 9-6 lead, and Morse led the rest of the way.
However, Camden did hang around, getting five first-half points each from Bailey and Jayson Kuhn, but each Windjammer rally was answered by the Shipbuilders, as Ethan Winglass and Liam McDonough led the way with eight points apiece in the opening half for a 25- 20 Morse lead at the break.
Windjammers forward Colin Morse, who rode the bench throughout most of the first half with three fouls, got hot in the third quarter, scoring six of his team- high 11 points, but Winglass added six points while Keegan McDonough showed his skills by twice driving to the hoop and scoring in traffic to lead Morse to a 41-33 edge after 24 minutes.
“I am just trying to add to this team and distribute the ball where it needs to go,” said Keegan McDonough.
Camden continued to battle, getting to within five points after Morse made a pair of free throws, but two missed possessions kept the Windjammers from drawing any closer.
Winglass had a gamehigh 16 points, pulled down six rebounds and blocked three shots. Liam McDonough added 12 points, Chris Paulus had nine points, eight boards and two blocked shots, and Freeman chipped in seven points and a team-high 10 caroms. Morse was 21 of 50 ( 42 percent) from the floor and 10 of 18 at the foul line. The Shipbuilders also held a 35-23 rebounding edge, but turned the ball over 21 times.
“We can’t run with good teams like Camden and Oceanside. We have to play smarter,” added Hayes.
Kuhn finished with 10 points for Camden Hills, while Chander Crans added nine points and Connor Graffam six points and five rebounds.
The Windjammers shot 25 percent (16 of 62) from the field and were nine of 14 at the foul line.
Morse 55,
Camden Hills 46
At Bath Middle School
Camden — 6 14 13 13 — 46
Morse — 11 14 16 14 — 55
Camden — Chandler Crans 3-1-9,
Terron Bailey 2-0-5, Colin Morse 3-5-
11, John Hall 0-0-0, Connor Graffam
3-0-6, Andrew Hall 2-1-5, Jayson
Kuhn 3-2-10, Merrill Hall 0-0-0, Josiah Krul 0-0-0. Totals — 16-9-46.
Morse — Ethan Winglass 6-4-16,
Casey Watson 0-0-0, Liam McDonough 4-2-12, Chris Paulus 4-1-9,
Jacob Freeman 2-2-7, Keegan McDonough 5-1-11, Juwan Moore 0-0-0,
Matthew Belanger 0-0-0. Totals —
21-10-55.
3-point field goals — (CH) Crans 2,
Kuhn 2, Bailey; (Mo) L. McDonough
2, Freeman.
Records — Morse 7-0, Camden Hills
5-2.
Up next for Morse — Friday at home
against Maranacook, 7 p.m.
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