Wiscasset Middle dropped a pair of Busline League basketball games to visiting Hope Thursday afternoon, Jan. 2.

The visitors scored the first 12 points of the girls’ game and won big, 66-8. Maddie Richardson netted Wiscasset’s first basket of the game, with 2:59 left in the first quarter. Gabby Smith added another basket for Wiscasset in the period’s final minute.

Hope’s stingy defense and tough rebounding held the hosts scoreless in the second and third periods. Belle Orr netted a pair of layups for Wiscasset in the game’s closing seconds. Hope was up 38-4 at halftime and 52-4 headed into the game’s final eight minutes. Leah Jones netted 10 points in the first half for Hope. Quina Hyman finished the game with a blocked shot and a two rebounds for Wiscasset. Laila Dicus grabbed a pair of rebounds in the second half while Orr had a steal and an assist.

In the boys’ game, Wiscasset rallied late, outscoring its guests 19-17 in the final quarter, but Hope hung on for a 61-52 victory.

Austin Trask canned a fast-break layup off the opening tap and back-to-back baskets by Javar Garricks staked Wiscasset to a 6-2 lead in the game’s opening minutes. Hope then scored six unanswered points. Garricks added another basket, but when the buzzer sounded ending the period, Hope was on top 12-10.

Midway into the second period, Trask tied the game at 14, but Hope went on a 7-0 run and took over the lead for good.

In the closing minute of the first half, Miles Spear hit a big three-pointer giving his team a 28-20 lead. Lincoln Wright and Nolan Fields also had three pointers for Hope in the first period. Garricks had eight points in the first half. Trask netted six. Hope led by as much as 11 points in the third period. Trask’s layup with 90 seconds left made it a 44-33 ballgame headed into the final eight minutes of play. Trask scored seven points in the fourth period and finished with 18 points. Garricks, who had a pair of baskets in the fourth period, ended the game with 14.

The Wiscasset Middle boys’ and girls’ teams will host Woolwich on Monday, Jan. 6; the first game begins at 3:45.