WALES

Jake Patenaude’s first 3- pointer put Lisbon ahead to stay. His second put the Greyhounds into their third straight State Unified Basketball championship game.

Patenaude, a senior, scored a game-high 15 points as third-seeded Lisbon pulled away in the second half for a 39-31 South regional victory over top-ranked Oak Hill, which suffered its first loss (8-1) of the season.

“They have the grit, and we lose numbers every year but they know how to adjust and their determination is crazy,” said Lisbon student/ coach Jonah Sautter after the Greyhounds improved to 9-2. “We were able to rebound, play good defense, and we turned it around in the second half. We worked all year on figuring out what works for us. Once we get toward the end of the season, we see what we do best and we did that today.”

Patenaude knew that his 3-pointers were big, throwing his hands in the air each time as the large Lisbon fanbase that filled the stands behind the Greyhounds’ bench jumped to their feet.

“Those shots were actually really important, and I’m not sure that we win this game without them,” said Patenaude. “When I first started out here, I was not that good. Now, since I am senior and have practiced, I have gotten way way better.”

The win sends Lisbon to Winslow High School on Thursday against Bucksport at 6 p.m. Lisbon fell to Hampden Academy in the first two years in the state title game.

“Not versus Hampden will be different, but we will still need to pass the ball around and make more baskets,” Patenaude said.

Back and forth

The first half featured nine lead changes as the teams took turns holding one-point leads. Patenaude had seven points, while Tyler Halls picked up four points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. Dawson Martel added a couple big baskets for Lisbon, while Wesley Lucas and Misty Coleman put home a shot each.

For Oak Hill, Devon Fournier and Lee Mower were forces up front, combining on 14 points as the Raiders trailed 19-18 at the half. Josh Leavitt and Marcel Trepanier picked up two points apiece.

The early stages of the second half began as a mirror image of the first half, with Oak Hill grabbing a 20- 19 edge on a Leavitt putback.

But, Patenaude grabbed a loose ball, turned and banked in a long trey for a 22-20 Lisbon lead. A steal was followed by a Martel basket, and after a pair of missed free throws by Oak Hill, Patenaude again launched a 3-pointer, this one swishing through the twine for a 27-20 edge.

“We tell Jake then when he is open that he has the range and should take those shots,” said Sautter of Patenaude. “In a close game like that, he was open and he took it. That first one was big, and the second we knew that we could relax.”

Oak Hill drew to 27-23 behind three quick points from Mower, who led the Raiders with 10 points, but Lisbon followed with a 10-4 run for a 37-27 edge with 3:01 remaining in regulation. Lucas, Halls, Amanda Mason, Brandon Bartlett and Ryley Austin scored during the run that helped clinch the Greyhounds’ win.

Lisbon’s defense was strong in the second half, holding Oak Hill to just four field goals (4-of-27).

Halls and Martel each had six points for Lisbon, with Halls finishing with 10 rebounds and six steals. Austin also had six steals, with Nick Lerette adding five boards.

Mower picked up nine points, five rebounds and a game-high 10 steals for the Raiders, while Leavitt and Caleb Treadwell finished with five points apiece. Fournier was the top scorer for the hosts with 10 points.

Now comes the search for the elusive state title for Lisbon. Sautter feels this is the year after two near misses.

“We haven’t won a state title, and these kids want to win this one,” said Sautter.

No. 3 Lisbon 39, No. 1 Oak Hill 31

South Regional Unified Championship At Wales

	Lisbon		—	19	20	—	39
Oak		Hill	—	18	13	—	31

Lisbon — Ryley Austin 1-0-2, Jake Patenaude 6-1-15, Amanda Mason 1- 0-2, Michael Farrington 0-0-0, Tyler Halls 3-0-6, Devin Libby 0-0-0, Brandon Bartlett 1-0-2, Wesley Lucas 2-0- 4, Nathan Havlicek 0-0-0, Dawson Martel 3-0-6, Misty Coleman 1-0-2, Nick Lerette 0-0-0, Tanton Mattson 1- 0-2, Joanna Turner 0-0-0, Noah Williams 0-0-0, Kristy Coleman 0-0- 0. Totals — 18-1-39. Oak Hill — Lee Mower 4-1-9, Josh Leavitt 2-1-5, Devon Fournier 4-2-10, AJ Boilard 0-0-0, Tim Riendeau 0-0- 0, Marcel Trepanier 1-0-2, Alexis Bean 0-0-0, Kierra Rolston 0-0-0, Tommy Grayson 0-0-0, Ben Ridlon 0- 0-0, Caleb Treadwell 2-0-5, Morgan Boilard 0-0-0. Totals — 13-4-31. 3-point field goals — (L) Patenaude 2; (OH) Treadwell. Records — Lisbon 9-2; Oak Hill 8-1. Up next for the Greyhounds — State Unified Basketball Championship, Thursday at Winslow High School, 6 p.m.