FARMINGTON — When the University of Maine at Farmington had a hard time getting the ball inside the paint, the Beavers went to the perimeter and showered Dearborn Gymnasium with 3-pointers.
Problem solved.
The playoff-bound Beavers (11-13, 10-7) opened up with 12 3-pointers on Maine Maritime (5-19, 2-15), and shook off the Mariners with an 83-71 victory in a North Atlantic Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night.
The Beavers went on an impressive 25-13 run in the first half and opened up a 12-point lead fueled by senior forward Ryan Camire, who hit three of his four 3-pointers in a row. Camire (14 points) and Isaac Witham (team-high 20 points) were tough to stop with their outside shooting. Witham dropped in six 3-pointers and forward Riley Robinson (12 points) hit two.
“I am the type of player when I get going I usually feel pretty good. I feel confident. I was just shooting an open shot, honestly,” Witham said. “Our whole goal is to work it outside and in. When the outside shots are falling, that’s what we go to, but we do try to get the ball in the middle most of the time.
“They (Mariners) are a tough team. They really play hard-nosed defense.”
But UMF guard Amir Moss found some holes in the Mariners’ sturdy defense and went inside to come up with 18 points. He also made six of his nine free-throw attempts. Tyus Ripley, UMF’s 6-foot-6 forward, went head to head with Maine Maritime 6-foot-7 senior forward Tyler Gilson underneath the hoop. Each pulled down seven rebounds, with Ripley coming up with 11 points.
But the rough-and-tumble Mariners caught back up with the Beavers just in time to take a 36-35 lead with an inside game that frustrated UMF.
“As always, you would like to get it inside more ,” UMF coach Dick Meader said. “Isaac Witham shot the ball extremely well from 3, made big 3s, and Ryan Camire came in and hit three straight (3-pointers) in the first half. That was very important to us to get us going. He had a very nice game.
“There is always complaints, but we gave up too many offensive boards. That team really battles. They are well-coached. He does a great job, and to get them with the record they have, to play hard every night, is really a compliment to them and a credit to the kids, too. They are tough kids. Great young men and they work very hard.
“We had some big plays from Amir Moss and big shots from Isaac Witham and Ryan Camire.”
Maine Maritime junior guard Tyler Thayer scored a game-high 24 points, and Nick Judge helped out with 17. Guard Brendan Newcomb dropped in 10.
But there is no question the Mariners’ inside game is formidable.
“It helps when you have some shooters around the perimeter so teams can’t double in the post, go one-on-one in the post,” Maine Maritime coach David Muchnick said. “Tyler Gilson, a senior post guy, and Adam Richardson is a sophomore who is really, really coming to his own as of late. The last two or three weeks, (Richardson) has started to play well. We are going to need him the next couple of years.”
UMF certainly impressed Muchnick with its outside shooting
“When you make shots, you look really good,” the Mariners coach said. “Moss is really good at penetrating and finding gaps. Robinson can make shots, but he is one of the better passing forwards in our league. When you have Isaac and Ryan making 3s, that is tough to defend.”
Women’s game
Maine Maritime 68, UMF 41
Farmington, Maine – UMaine Farmington fell to Maine Maritime on Thursday night in Dearborn Gymnasium 68-41 in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) action. The Beavers fell to 4-19 overall and 4-13 in conference play while the Mariners move to 13-11 overall and 9-8 in the NAC.
In the box
– Kennadi Grover finished with game-high 13 points on 6-12 shooting and 1-5 at the free-throw line while notching five rebounds.
– Jenessa Talarico finished with eight points on 3-5 shooting, 2-4 from three-point land to go with two rebounds, one assist and one steal.
– The Beavers shot 28 percent from the floor, 18.8 percent from three and 58.8 percent at the charity stripe. UMF notched 26 rebounds, eight assists and 10 steals.
– Alayne Felix scored 11 points for the Mariners on 5-10 shooting with five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
– Chloe Smedley finished with a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds on 5-13 shooting.
– The Mariners shot 41.2 percent from the floor, 29.2 percent from three and 41.7 percent at the free-throw line. Maine Maritime notched 53 rebounds, 15 assists, eight steals and three blocks.
The University of Maine at Farmington’s Anthony Owens (54) and teammate Riley Robinson (30) reach for a rebound in men’s basketball game at Dearborn Gymnasium in Farmington on Thursday.
UMF’s Tyus Ripley gets a hand on the ball as Maine Maritime’s Nick Judge (5) drives to the net in a basketball game at Dearborn Gymnasium in Farmington on Thursday.
UMF’s Isaac Witham (11) tries to pass the ball around Maine Maritime’s Nick Judge (5) in a basketball game at Dearborn Gymnasium on Thursday.
Maine Maritime’s Dylan Price (10) watches as UMF’s Riley Robinson (30) goes up for a shot against Maine Maritime’s Nick Judge (5) in a basketball game in Farmington on Thursday.
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