Dexter, ME--- The Dexter Tigers girls basketball team is well known for their strong defense.
That defense was on display on Monday evening.
Dexter forced 26 turnovers and limited the Piscataquis community high school (PCHS) Pirates to 26.3% shooting as the Tigers cruised to a 40-23 victory.
"It is like a broken record when you play Dexter," PCHS coach Brian Gaw said. "It has always been their defense, it will always be their defense."
The Tigers went on a 7-0 run to start the game and never allowed the Pirates to get closer than five points the rest of the way.
"I think this is one of our better games of the season,"Dexter senior forward Lauren Crane said. "We had a high level of concentration and focus. We built confidence with every quarter."
Despite a 12-0 record the Tigers know they need to step up their game from the way they have played recently.
They were coming off wins over Bucskport and Penobscot Valley where everyone in the Dexter locker room can agree they didn't play their best.
"Really pleased with our energy (tonight) especially on the defensive end. I thought the last couple of games we just got caught up into the length of the season,"Dexter coach Jody Grant said. "The last couple of games we did not have that energy. Tonight was completely different. We got up and down the floor. We shared the ball. I couldn't be more pleased."
Dexter sophomore forward Michaela White added, "We did not play our best basketball last week and we really needed to step it up today and we did that."
White got it done on both ends of the floor for the Tigers. She scored a team high 12 points and recorded seven steals.
"On the ball defensively I haven't seen many kids in our league who does any better than she (White) does,"Grant said. "I do not know if she is the best but I would put her right up there."
The Tigers had a balanced attack. They had eight different players who scored. They had five players who recorded four rebounds. Dexter had seven different players who recorded at least one steal. They had five players who had at least one assist.
"The last two games led to the way we played today,"Crane said. "We were like "OK" this is enough of not doing the little things right and not doing what we were supposed to do."
Crane recorded seven points, four rebounds, three steals and one block for the Tigers. Tasha Pratt chipped in with six points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Abbie Melvin and Gabrielle Adam recorded four points and four rebounds each. Jordyn Bell added two points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Anna Ritland scored three points. Peyton Watson scored two points and pulled down four rebounds.
"I think we can learn from the past couple of games that we are not invincible. We need to play a certain way and that starts with our energy and enthusiasm. Those things are not just going to happen. We need to make those things happen,"Grant said. "No matter what gym we are in, no matter who we are playing against we need to maintain a high level of energy no matter what."
Delani Bennett recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and one block to lead the Pirates. Jesse Bell added three points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.
Cory Fellows contributed two points, nine rebounds and two steals. Jordynee Littlefield chipped in with two points.
The Pirates were playing without starting point guard Alex Speed. She is away on a family trip and will be rejoining the team next week.
PCHS (8-3) will next play on Friday, January 18th when they travel to eastern Maine community college for a 7 p.m. contest against Bangor Christian.
"We are going to have to get better. We can't say we won eight games that is great. That is not going to get it done," Gaw said ."We have higher expectations than that. Turning that corner is hard to do. We haven't been there for a long time."
Dexter (12-0) will next play on Monday, January 21st when they host Central.
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