Freshman Landin Shirey hadn’t played a significant role on the Wiscasset boys’ basketball team this winter. The sharp-shooting guard was plagued with a broken foot and hadn’t played much until the season’s end. But that all changed Feb. 17 when he scored 21 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, propelling No. 5 Wiscasset past No. 4 Buckfield, 49-47, in the Class D South quarterfinals. 

Shirey and his teammates struggled in the first half to score. The Wolverines trailed 18-13 at the half with Shirey connecting on one of two free throws in the second quarter. But hustle, defense and determination kept Wiscasset in close range and gave its offense a chance to respond. At halftime, Head Coach Jamey Roy communicated to his team what he saw in the first half. “I told them we didn’t play a real good half and were only down by five. If we continue to hustle, play good defense and stop turning the ball over, we could win this game,” he said. “And for the most part, that’s what we did.”

Roy also moved his best shooter, Shirey, to point-guard and instructed him to look for his shot. And that’s exactly what the freshman did. Shirey connected on four 3-pointers in the third quarter, scoring 15 points as Wiscasset pulled ahead 34-33 entering the final quarter. 

“I told him, ‘You’re a shooter,’” Roy said. “‘Don’t be discouraged because you only had one point. Let the game come to you, and look to score.’”

Shirey was hurt and didn’t play much in the two teams’ two previous encounters. Wiscasset won 54-46 on Dec. 28. Buckfield won the rematch, 46-36, on Jan. 27. Shirey missed the first meeting due to injury and only played a “few minutes” in the rematch. “I don’t think Buckfield knew much about Landin. He didn’t really start to play until the 15th game of the season. So, he may have been an unknown quantity to them,” Roy said. “It’s amazing he’s only 14 years old to have a game like this down here.”

Shirey credited his teammates in beating Buckfield. “It was a true team effort. I couldn’t have done what I did without them,” he said. 

With 4:10 remaining, Buckfield’s Trenton Haskell, who scored a team-high 13 points, hit a short jumper, tying the game at 41. Wiscasset recaptured the lead with Shirey hitting a running one-hander driving down the lane. Buckfield regained the lead with 1:15 remaining when Haskell scored a 3-pointer. Buckfield extended its lead to 46-43 before Wolverine forward Ishmael Martinez scored a lay-up. Wiscasset regained the lead, 48-46, when Shirey hit his fifth 3-pointer with 1:06 left.

Buckfield had its best chance at regaining the lead with 33.8 seconds remaining. The Bucks took three shots and garnered two offensive rebounds. Haskell was fouled on the second rebound. He made one of two free throws, cutting the Wiscasset lead to one. 

After a Buckfield turnover, Shirey was fouled, and made one of two free throws, giving Wiscasset a 49-47 lead with 11.6 seconds remaining. Again, Buckfield had a couple of good attempts, but Gavin Poison’s 3-point attempt missed at the buzzer.

Roy believed the two teams were about as closely matched as any in the East-West Conference, and the missed Buckfield shots may have been fortunate for his team.

“We missed a couple free throws down the stretch which almost gave a chubby guy, like me, a heart attack,” Roy said. “In our last timeout, I told them to close out on the three (pointers). They had had a couple shots better than I hoped for, but missed them. I think we were a little lucky. If we played them a hundred times, it would probably come out 50-50.”

Wiscasset guard Spencer Smith-Pinkham was the team’s second-leading scorer with nine, all in the second half. Smith-Pinkham attributed the victory to Wiscasset playing as a team. “Buckfield is a very good team. We fell behind in the first half, but we stuck together,” he said. “At halftime, we focused on making less sloppy passes and better teamwork,” he said.

Team captain Jevar Garricks believed the victory sprang from hard work and dedication dating back to the pre-season workouts. “It’s our first tournament win since 2011, and it feels good,” Garricks said. “It all goes back to working hard in practice, and listening to coach. Once we started passing better, it really helped our offense.”

Other Wolverine scorers were Alex Richard, eight; Garricks, five; Ishmael Martinez, three; and Tucker Davenport, two. Roy knew his players were ready for the tournament when they boarded the bus. “The ride was pretty quiet. They were focused, fired up, and ready to play,” he said.

The Wolverines will take another determined bus ride to Augusta on Wednesday, Feb. 21. No. 5 Wiscasset (10-9) plays No. 1 Valley (15-4) at 11:30 a.m. in the Class D South tournament.