Ethan James had a game-high 28 points and Cody Roberts added 17 as host #5 Wiscasset easily handled #12 Buckfield 83-39 in Class C South preliminary round action Wednesday night.

Wiscasset advances to play Waynflete (16-2, #4 in Class C South) at 8 p.m. Monday at the Augusta Civic Center. The winner will play the winner of Richmond/Dirigo game on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 8:30 p.m.

James wasted no time in asserting his size advantage against the Bucks. James scored 13 points in the first quarter, with all six of his field goals coming from the paint, staking Wiscasset to a 21-10 lead after one period. In the second, Buckfield played its best quarter but still were outscored 17-15 and trailed at the half, 38-25.

The second half was all Wiscasset. The Wolverines outscored the Bucks 45-14 over the final two frames to secure the victory and the trip to Augusta. James shot 65 percent from the field (13-20) and hauled in eight boards (four offensive). Roberts continues to energize this club from the perimeter. Where earlier in the season, Roberts settled for three-pointers, now he is adding an effective penetration component to his game, and it’s helping the Wolverines at the right time.

It is making defenses choose between him or Brandon Sprague (four points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block) on the perimeter, giving more room for James to operate. Roberts shot 57 percent (8-14) from the field and added six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Wiscasset’s bench also made some strong contributions, most notably from Russell Marr (six points, four assists and two steals) and Grant Hefler (six points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in eight minutes).

There was one area of opportunity for the Wolverines: free throw shooting. The Wolverines were 10-22 (46 percent) from the charity stripe. Buckfield was led by Ethan Jackson with 14 points and Jake Kraske with 13. The Bucks finish the season at 7-12.