READFIELD -- The Maranacook boys basketball team geared up for its most important game of the regular season with an impressive performance against Erskine Academy on Friday night.

Fueled by a strong defense and the 3-point shooting of senior Will Bardaglio, the Black Bears jumped out to an early lead and coasted to a 64-34 win.

Maranacook is 7-0 in the Class B division of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and plays Tuesday at unbeaten Camden Hills. Erskine falls to 4-4.

Bardaglio hit five 3-pointers in the first nine minutes of the game and scored all but two of his game-high 21 points in the first half. Bardaglio's second 3 of the game gave the Black Bears a 9-0 lead and prompted Erskine coach Tim Bonsant to lift all five of his starters.

"They grabbed six offensive rebounds in a row and my guys didn't want to box out," Bonsant said. "I'd rather take guys off the bench who are going to give me all they can."

Maranacook pushed the lead to 17-4 as Bardaglio drilled another 3-pointer and Mike Lachance made four free throws. At the other end of the floor, the Black Bears defense forced the Eagles into turnovers or poor shots.

"We set the tempo and played our game," Maranacook point guard Mike Poulin said. "I thought we did well on the defensive end."

The Eagles never recovered from their slow start as the Black Bears took a 35-17 lead by halftime. And that happened with leading scorer Ryan Martin on the bench for the second quarter after picking up his second foul. Martin (15 points) picked up where Bardaglio left off in the third quarter as he sandwiched 3-pointers from both sides of the floor around a steal and layup to make it 43-17.

"Leading up to Camden I think you want to be playing as well as you can," Maranacook coach Rob Schmidt said. "And I think we're playing at about that level right now."

Pete Garrity was Erskine's only player in double figures with 13 points. The Eagles lost leading scorer Brent Merrill to a twisted ankle late in the first half, but on this night his presence would have made little difference.

"That team's going to go a long way," Bonsant said. "Maybe even hoist up a Gold Ball."

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com