The AA Round-Up: February 15, 2024

Tourney time!!!

Boys: (6) Thornton Academy 59, (3) South Portland 43

A 17-2 run in the 4th quarter sparked the 6 seeded Golden Trojans' upset over number 3 Red Riots.

Wyatt Benoit had 15, but Josh Vallee was the story:

Legacy games, that's what this tournament is all about.

Thornton Academy will see Scarborough in the semifinals at the Cross Insurance Arena.

Boys: (5) Deering 65, (4) Sanford 53

Deering visited Sanford and ran all over them. After a 20-3 first quarter, the Spartans tried to close back in, but the Rams' zone forced them to continue a cold shooting night and didn't allow much of anything in the paint.

Deering sophomore Tayshaun Cleveland was impressive inside, he had 14 points by my unofficial count.

Side note: No box score on Varsity Maine...

We'll have a 3rd battle of the Rams in the semi-finals. Gorham blew Deering out in the first, Deering scraped out one of Gorham's two losses in the second meeting.

I know Gorham's hungry for revenge, but Deering has to have some confidence after winning one in the regular season.

Girls (4) Sanford 63, (5) Thornton Academy 59

Emma Lizotte's 28 points weren't enough to push the Golden Trojans past the Spartans.

Julissa McBarron poured in 21 and Paige Sevigny dropped 18 in her first career playoff game.

The freshman has stepped up to the challenge every time she's been asked. When McBarron was out, when the Spartans needed a 3 in a big spot, or in a playoff quarterfinal against a team who was crowned a favorite in AA before the season.

Sanford meets Gorham in the semi-finals as they did a year ago.

Elsewhere...

Kevin Rugabirwa had 30 in Portland's route of Edward Little, South Portland's girls had 4 players in double-figures in a win over Bonny Eagle... and the Lewiston boys survived Oxford Hills at home.