Boys Basketball:

Bonny Eagle 58

Westbrook 40

Bonny Eagle continued to roll toward the playoffs Tuesday, bowling over Westbrook in a serious blow to the Blue Blazes’ tournament hopes.

The Scots defeated Westbrook, 58-40, on the road and are in fourth place in the latest West A Heal Point standings. The Blue Blazes sit in the 11th and final playoff spot, but Windham and Scarborough are close on their Heals.

“We could have done a lot to help our own cause tonight,” said Westbrook coach Mark Karter. “Bonny Eagle is a real good team, but we were hoping we’d get a little better effort. They were just too good for us tonight.”

Windham (5-12) lost to Gorham (10-7) last night, but Scarborough (7-10) defeated Biddeford (1-16). The Red Storm host No. 5 Thornton Academy (12-6) in their regular season finale Friday and a win would likely be enough to vault them into the playoffs, leaving Westbrook at home.

The Blue Blazes host No. 13 Windham Friday in what is a must-win game.

Using a stingy matchup zone and controlling the boards, Bonny Eagle built a 28-14 halftime lead and didn’t look back.

Since losing at Gorham, the Scots have won six of their last seven games, its only loss coming in overtime to undefeated Cheverus (17-0), leaving coach Rick Simonds to speak like a proud parent regarding his team’s maturation.

“We were too impatient and at times selfish earlier in the season,” he said. “We are not the least bit now. We can hurt you in several different ways – inside, outside, rebounding and tonight we had seven turnovers. We used to have seven a quarter. We are making better decisions; it’s maturity. The kids are really starting to mature.”

Simonds said role definment and unselfish play have played key roles in his team’s development.

Junior guard Mark Harmon played the role of superstar against the Blue Blazes, tying Anthony Atkins with team-highs in points (14) and rebounds (7), while also dishing out seven assists and recording six steals.

Harmon knocked down four 3-pointers while sophomore Nate Doehler sank two for his six points.

Ben Delcourt added eight points and James Hanley and Casey McKague six each, giving Bonny Eagle a total of six players scoring more than six points – a testament to their balance.

Still, it was the rebounding that made the difference.

“We hurt them on the glass a little bit tonight,” Simonds said.

Along with Harmon and Atkins’ seven rebounds apiece, Casey McKague added six rebounds and John Onesti five.

“I thought we did a really poor job rebounding,” said Karter. “We emphasized at the beginning of the game that we’d have to rebound to win.”

After struggling with its shooting in the first half, Westbrook began to heat up in the third quarter. Shawn Coffill hit back-to-back 3-pointers early to put the Blue Blazes back within 10, but the Scots matched Westbrook blow-for-blow as the teams played even at 16 points apiece in the frame.

“It makes it a lot easier when you make a few shots,” Karter said, “but we just don’t have the consistency right now to beat a team like Bonny Eagle.”

Freshman Dominic Borelli scored a team-high 12 points for the Blue Blazes. Coffill and Kyle Sanborn added 11 apiece.