Her Rangeley girls’ basketball team is not only trying to replace some key players from last year’s regional championship, but the Lakers are doing so with just two seniors and 10 underclassmen, most being freshmen or eighth graders.

The Lakers are hoping for another successful season and tourney but it won’t come without a few struggles along the way.

“We’re definitely growing and we’re getting better, but it’s sometimes painful to watch,” Deery said. 

That was the case for the Lakers Tuesday. Rangeley struggled in the first quarter but once it settled down in the second quarter, the Lakers began opening the lead that led to a 51-27 win.

“We were missing a step to our offense,” said senior forward Blayke Morin. “Once we got that next step, the flow was a lot easier. We got more people there for rebounds when the shots went up. That one step we were missing really brought us down. Once we got into the second quarter, we started to play better.”

Morin led the Lakers (5-1) with a career-high 32 points and 10 rebounds. She had 12 in the first half and helped put the game away with a dominant second half. Sydney Royce added nine points as the Lakers won their fifth straight.

“We’ve been waiting for Blayke to have a big night,” said Deery, whose team has some tough games ahead with Forest Hills and unbeaten and top-seeded Vinalhaven. “I’m glad we got it in before Christmas. After Christmas, I feel like we can get down to work. Now we’ve got to settle in and go with it.”

Ashley Campbell led the Bucks (2-6) with eight points. Alexis Bennett and Abigail Shield each had six. The Bucks were without veteran guard Kali Litchfield because of illness.

The Bucks stayed with the Lakers through the first quarter. Though Buckfield hit just one of its first eight shots, the Lakers were 4-for-17 in the first quarter and managed only an 8-6 lead.

Morin and Maddison Egan are the only seniors and Celia Philbrick is the only junior. That makes for a younger group stepping into larger roles this season.

“We need Blayke, Maddison and Tasha (Haley) to lead the way,” Deery said. “When the three of them are all on the same page offensively and defensively with what we want to do, then usually we’re getting the opportunities we want. They’re young and they’re fun to coach. They have enthusiasm but people are still finding their way.”

In the second quarter, the Lakers picked up the intensity and began to execute more effectively on both ends of the floor. The defense started to swarm and pressure the ball with urgency. The Bucks turned the ball over 10 times in the second and 11 times in the third.

“Once we get going on offense, when you’re on defense, you want to get back on offense,” Morin said. “So once we got that going, the defense came naturally.”

The Lakers had struggled at times against the Buckfield zone in the first quarter. Rangeley started to execute better. They started hitting shots while also attacking the zone quickly, before the Bucks truly had a chance to settle in defensively.

Rangeley scored nine straight to open a 17-8 lead. Natasha Haley, started the run with a jumper. After a Royce free throw, Morin scored twice and Maddison Egan scored. Buckfield managed only four shots total in the second quarter and got its only field goal on a Seneca Jacobs jumper with 2:35 left. Rangeley then ran off five straight on Royce, Haley and Morin free throws for a 22-10 lead.

Rangeley extended the lead in the third with 10 straight. After a Royce steal, Morin scored back-to-back. Brooke Egan hit a jumper and then fed Morin for a hoop and 32-10 lead. 

“We trying to get different people into different situations for them to be successful,” Deery said. “You can see that once we get clicking, we have what we need. Then it comes down to consistency for 32 minutes. That’s what’s going to be a factor for us.”

kmills@sunjournal.com