Jeffers Hits Buzzer-Beater, Fort Kent Stuns Caribou 48-47

If you were waiting all day for one game to deliver, this was it, and it somehow still found a way to top the hype.

Third-seed Fort Kent stunned top-seed Caribou 48-47 on a buzzer-beater from Aden Jeffers to win the Northern Maine Class C boys title and punch the program’s first-ever trip to the state championship. Fort Kent will face Southern Maine champion Maranacook next Saturday night, while Caribou’s outstanding season ends at 17-4.

These two County rivals had already played two tight games in the regular season, both won by Caribou, so the setup was perfect, and the start was pure adrenaline.

Fort Kent came out on fire behind quick scoring from Tobias Naranja and Aden Jeffers, but Caribou answered immediately with Owen Corrigan carrying the early offense, scoring 11 of the Vikings’ first 12 points. After one, Caribou held a slim 12-11 lead.

Caribou stretched it a bit in the second, getting the lead to five midway through the quarter, but Fort Kent refused to let it get away. The Vikings took a 25-19 lead into halftime, with Corrigan already sitting on 15 points. Jeffers led Fort Kent at the break with 9.

The third quarter flipped the momentum. Fort Kent found its rhythm, erased the deficit, and tied it midway through the period. The Warriors took the lead for the first time since early in the game, and the next stretch was chaos in the best way, lead, tie, lead, tie, for five straight possessions. Caribou landed the late punch, opened a five-point cushion, and carried a 38-34 lead into the fourth.

Fort Kent came right back and tied it quickly, and then it turned into a full-on slugfest, baskets, offensive fouls, and long possessions, with neither team blinking. Midway through the fourth, Fort Kent regained the lead 46-42.

Caribou answered. After a couple of grinding possessions, the Vikings found themselves up one with 34 seconds left, setting the stage for the final moment.

Jeffers took it from there.

With the clock winding down, he hit the game-winner at the buzzer, and Fort Kent poured onto the floor as the Warriors claimed the Class C North crown, 48-47.

Jeffers finished with 24 points, with Naranja adding 14 for Fort Kent. Caribou was led by Corrigan with 20 points, and Colby Ouellette added 15 in the loss.

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• Read about local County schools and their past tournament results, and some records that may shock you HERE>> [HERE]