LEWISTON – They didn’t have their usual pressure. They didn’t have their typical breakneck transition game.

That might sound like bad news for the Lewiston boys’ basketball team, but Tuesday night the Blue Devils managed to go without. Lewiston did just fine minus the staples of its game, riding its hot shooting hand in a 59-46 win over Gardiner.

“We just couldn’t get the press going,” said Lewiston coach Jason Fuller. “They obviously were ready for the press, and they did a great job against our press. So we couldn’t get that helter-skelter type of game going, but we were able to grind it out. It showed what we were capable of doing.”

Lewiston received a balanced offensive attack and had plenty of threats on the perimeter to keep the Tigers chasing the lead.

“The last game we actually missed quite a few shots, but we were able to find a way to win,” said guard Jon Fournier. “This game, it wasn’t easier, but it was a little easier because we were making our shots.”

Dave Labonte led Lewiston (4-2) with 18 points. Fournier chipped in 14 while Tyson Morgan had 11.

“We had multiple kids stepping up at multiple times,” said Fuller. “It wasn’t the same kid every time.”

Gardiner (3-3) got 27 from 6-foot-7 forward Sean McNally, but the Tigers couldn’t get the balance Lewiston had. Though Gardiner got within 49-45 with 3:23 left after six straight points, the Tigers couldn’t get any closer.

“I think the other guys have to step up and start scoring,” said Gardiner coach Dana Doran. “Every game this year we’ve had one kid step up and take over. There was always one guy and right now, we’re struggling to get more than one guy.”

A Fournier four-point play late in the opening quarter turned a 13-10 lead into a 17-10 advantage, and the Tigers struggled to keep pace. Gardiner was within 31-25 to start the second half, but Lewiston outscored them 9-4 to start the half and build a 40-29 lead. The Tigers hit just 1-of-8 shots to start the third quarter.

“We were kind of in the hole the whole game until the last three or four minutes,” said Doran. “We were kind of digging our way out of that hole.”

Back-to-back hoops by McNally to start the fourth had the Tigers within 46-39. Gardiner later erased a 10-point lead with six straight. Lewiston hunkered down on McNally, and the Tigers couldn’t produce offensively.

“We wanted to double team (McNally) and let their guards beat us on the perimeter,” said Fournier.

Down by four, the Tigers had a chance to trim that deficit further but failed on two tries. Craig Toulouse missed a shot from the left side, and a turnover off a defensive rebound nixed another opportunity.

Lewiston got free throws from Fournier, Labonte and Morgan to bulk up the lead.

“Obviously we didn’t play our best basketball, but at least we had answers when we needed to have answers,” said Fuller. “It showed the character of our kids.”