If Class A basketball is going to be this emotion-filled, then Gorham fans may not make it through the initial season at this level.

The Rams saw visiting Portland hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send Saturday’s game into overtime and then the Bulldogs came back again in the extra period to ruin Gorham’s SMAA hoop debut, 72-70.

“It was almost too exciting,” said Portland coach Joe Russo. “Usually you see (games like this) halfway through the year or toward the end.”

Rams forward Josh Tanguay had a monster game, tallying 28 points and hauling in 24 rebounds, but Bulldogs guard Andrew Duncanson, who transferred from Westbrook over the summer, hit for a game-high 32.

“They’re a good team, and they played really good defense,” said Duncanson. “We just played good team ball. Toward the end we just executed.”

The action see-sawed back-and-forth for most of the contest, which was moved back a day because of Friday’s snow. There were 21 lead changes and 11 ties.

“You have to tip your hat to Portland,” said Gorham coach Kevin Jenkins. “They made plays when they needed to make plays.”

Tanguay exerted himself on the boards right away, with eight rebounds in the first quarter alone. His put-back midway through that frame – two of his nine points in the period – gave the Rams a 14-7 lead.

A minute later, teammate Jeff Manchester drilled a three-pointer, putting the hosts up 10, the biggest margin that either side had in the game.

But the Bulldogs, relying on fast-break hoops, came back quickly, and a Duncanson three-point play cut the margin to one with just over a minute to go.

Gorham’s offense appeared somewhat hesitant in the second quarter, and most of their points came from the free throw line. With seconds to go until halftime, Rams guard Andrew Dean knocked down a bank shot to knot the score at 29.

Tanguay started the second half as he had the first: with a basket inside that gave his team a two-point lead. This time it was off an assist from Dean.

“When (fellow guard Max Bass) and I go in the middle, the ‘five man’ will come up,” Dean said, “and if we give the ball to (Tanguay), he’ll put it in every time.”

The game remained tight, though Portland did open up its largest lead when Duncanson recovered a Tanguay blocked shot and sank a three to make it 44-38.

Gorham was still down four with less than a half-minute on the clock in the third quarter when Dean drove down the left side and made a wraparound pass to his favorite target. Tanguay rolled the shot in and was fouled. The free throw put the Rams within one.

“I give a lot of credit to my teammates,” Tanguay said. “Max, Jeff and Andrew are very good passers. They’re good at finding me.”

Throughout the first three periods, Bulldogs forward Ryan Carmichael was very quiet. He had just four points as the teams took the floor for the final eight minutes of regulation.

“He’s a heck of a shooter,” Russo said. “You don’t notice him much, but he’s the glue of the team.”

With a pair of key players dressed in civvies due to injuries (Justin Powell and Eric Nelson), the coach told Carmichael that his offense was needed. The junior responded with a pair of strikes from outside the three-point arc in the middle of the fourth, the latter hoop putting Portland up by five.

Moments later Manchester completed a mini-comeback with a steal and basket after a battle in the paint. The resultant foul shot tied the game again.

Gorham was up 63-60 in the final seconds, but missed some free throws that could have extended that margin. With two seconds left the teams huddled.

“We knew they needed three,” said Jenkins. “We had four people on the perimeter, but somehow (Carmichael) got loose. That shouldn’t have happened.”

Carmichael got the shot he wanted and swished a three from the top right side, sending the game into overtime.

Again the score remained close, and with a minute to go in the OT it was tied, but Duncanson sank the winning bucket, a 15-footer, with 32 seconds remaining.

“You only have a handful of these type of games and when you have an opportunity to steal one you want to get it,” Jenkins said. “So from that standpoint, it’s disappointing.”

The Rams are certainly being initiated into Class A basketball with fire. After battling Portland, Jenkins’ squad travels to Deering Tuesday and then hosts Cheverus Friday.

“Coach Jenkins keeps telling us is, it’s not a season maker,” Tanguay said of the loss. “It’s just the first game of the season. We have plenty of time before the tournament.”