AUGUSTA, Maine — They were the underdog that no high seed in the Class A North boys basketball tournament field wanted to draw as a quarterfinal opponent.
Now everyone knows why.
Seventh-ranked Cony of Augusta used pressure defense fueled by mass substitutions to force 22 turnovers and draw key player-control fouls that led to a 60-48 upset of No. 2 Hampden at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday.
“To watch it and if you’re not part of it, it may be a, ‘What the hell are they doing type deal,’” said Cony coach T.J. Maines of his team’s style of play, which is modeled after Grinnell (Iowa) College, a high-scoring NCAA Division III program. “But there is a method to the madness, the kids have bought in and they work their tails off.”
The win was the second for Cony in three meetings with Hampden this winter, and advances the 11-9 Rams to a semifinal against Oceanside of Rockland-Thomaston on Wednesday. No. 3 Oceanside edged No. 7 Nokomis of Newport 53-49 earlier Saturday.
Cony, which often takes 30 or more 3-pointers in a game, made just 6 of 26 from beyond the arc against Hampden (14-5) but overcame that by making 18 of 24 free throws — including 9 of 12 in the fourth quarter.
“This was probably only the second or third time all year we’ve made more free throws than 3-pointers,” said Maines.
Hampden was plagued by foul trouble, particularly when 6-foot-5 junior center Ian McIntyre drew his third and fourth personals on player-control calls within a 37-second span early in the third quarter.
“That was a point of emphasis, understanding that McIntyre was bigger and stronger but to try and limit his catches and when he did catch the ball to hold your ground and take it in the chest,” said Maines.
McIntyre sat out more than seven minutes before returning with 6:24 left in the game.
“Him picking up those third and fourth fouls within a minute of each other really changed the complexion of the game,” said Hampden coach Russ Bartlett.
Cony scored the first 10 points of the second half to build a 36-24 lead thanks to its defense, which induced seven Hampden turnovers in the period.
With McIntyre sidelined Hampden was hard-pressed to play catch-up but junior forward Tommy Raye did his best, scoring 13 of his team-high 14 points after intermission.
A baseline drive and 3-pointer by Raye followed by a steal and layup by freshman Bryce Lausier pulled the Broncos within 42-37 with 6:24 left, but two midcourt steals by Cony’s Taylor Heath produced a layup and a free throw, respectively, and when Austin Parlin hit a 3-pointer after a third straight Hampden turnover the Cony lead was 48-37.
Jordan Roddy led Cony offensively with 16 points while Parlin added 15 points and Heath scored 12.
Johnny Wolfington added 12 points for Hampden while McIntyre finished with 11.
