LEWISTON — If trailing at halftime in the first segment of their home-and-home series didn’t get Edward Little’s attention, watching Lewiston win its last four games and climb into the Eastern Class A boys’  basketball picture surely did.

“Definitely,” EL senior Brandon Giguere said. “We didn’t want to lose to Lewiston.”

Any anxiety or mystery evaporated soon after the opening tap. EL raced to a double-digit lead in the first six minutes Thursday night and coasted to a 63-39 win in the KVAC regular-season finale.

Giguere scored all 10 of his points in the first half. Bo Leary landed a game-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Red Eddies (17-1).

Both teams are bound for the regional tournament at Augusta Civic Center on Saturday, Feb. 19.

No. 3 EL will face Mt. Ararat. No. 7 Lewiston (9-9), a quarterfinalist for the first time since 2002, is expected to draw Hampden.

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“They have a lot of class. That’s one of those programs we look to as what we want to be,” Lewiston coach Tim Farrar said of EL. “I wish we had played better tonight. I didn’t feel like we ever gave ourselves a chance, and they didn’t give us a chance, either.”

Lewiston started the game on a 3-for-18 shooting skid and wound up at 26 percent for the night while committing 22 turnovers.

Giguere christened the game with a 3-pointer, ensuring that EL never trailed.

Quin Leary delivered a 3-point play and Bo Leary hit from high and low for 10 during a 16-4 opening run.

Timmy Mains (five points, five assists, five steals) and Giguere each rained down a 3-pointer in the second period, extending the Eddies’ lead to 32-16 at the half.

“Bo obviously gets them better looks,” EL coach Mike Adams said. “We’ve always said if you make that inside-out pass and the (defensive) guy’s stepping straight to the rim, the shooters that we have, it makes them 10 or 15 percent better. They’ve really stepped up and played well.”

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Defense keyed the Devils’ late-season run to a playoff berth. Between its uncontested 3-pointers and transition layups, however, EL finished above the 50 percent threshold (22-for-43) on the evening.

Quin Leary chipped in eight points and eight rebounds.

Cody Nicholas and Bo Leary joined the 3-point parade in the third quarter, fattening the lead to 49-23.

“We knew we needed to come out strong. Last game (with Lewiston) we didn’t do that and we were down at the half,” Bo Leary said. “We’re peaking at a good time, and I think we’re ready for a good run.”

It was a far cry from four days before Christmas, when Lewiston led by seven at halftime before fading to a 52-41 defeat.

“I’m glad we didn’t have to win tonight. They’re good,” Farrar said. “People say they haven’t been in a lot of close games. There’s a reason they haven’t been in a lot of close games.”

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Eleven different players scored for Lewiston. Shawn Ricker led the charge with seven points.

Abdi Osman amassed six points and nine rebounds.

EL kept its turnovers to a minimum for the brief spell that the game was in doubt, committing only two in the opening period and six in the half.

“They’re still Lewiston. There’s a rivalry, obviously. They’ve been playing well,” Adams said. “We were very concerned about their pressure and how we’d handle that. We haven’t been pressed like that, that often this year.”

koakes@sunjournal.com


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