Down by as many as 15, Bonny Eagle’s boys basketball team exploded for 30 points in Tuesday’s fourth quarter against Kennebunk, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Mike O’Donnell that sent the contest into the first of two overtimes.

But the visiting Rams hit a last-second shot of their own in the second OT to break another tie and take back the victory, 77-74, in a Class A preliminary state tournament game.

Kennebunk (11-8), the ninth-seed in the west, advances to a quarterfinal date with Deering. For the eighth-ranked Scots (10-9), it was a heartbreaker.

“It’s a disappointing end to the season,” said Bonny Eagle coach Rick Simonds.

The Rams got off to a fast start, ripping off a seven-point run early in the first quarter for 9-2 lead. Their aggressive zone defense prevented the Scots from driving to the hoop.

When the hosts did get shots off, however, they simply weren’t falling. Kennebunk’s defense came up with some steals, while Bonny Eagle had trouble with turnovers and fouls.

“I told the guys before the game, ‘This is a team we can’t foul,'” said Simonds. “They just didn’t miss from the line.”

With about two minutes to play in the half, Kennebunk extended their lead to 15 points, but then the comeback began. Scott Proudman made three steals that led to six quick points, cutting the deficit to nine at intermission.

In the third period, the Rams continued to hold Bonny Eagle down with their aggressive defense and laser-guided shooting. They extended their lead again to 15 halfway through the quarter and appeared to be headed for an easy win.

But the Scots weren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.

In the final period, Bonny Eagle played inspired basketball to complete the comeback. Now running a full-court pressure defense, the Scots were able to create turnovers and generate more scoring chances.

They found themselves down by three with just five seconds to play, and that’s when O’Donnell fielded a pass at half court and worked his way closer to the arc. He put up his shot just as the buzzer sounded.

The shot fell through the net, tying the game, and there was chaos on the court and in the stands.

“We showed a lot of heart coming back,” said Seth Spiller.

In the first overtime period each team recorded just one basket, forcing a another OT. That frame was marked by fouls from both teams as they tried whatever they could to prevent more points from their opponents.

With a minute to play the score was 74-74, and the Rams held onto the ball for one final shot. With six seconds left, Andy Goldsmith fired the dagger from three-point range and it fell.

Bonny Eagle tried desperately to get off a final shot to tie it again, but they were unable to make it happen.

“We had our chance,” said O’Donnell, who scored nine points. “We just didn’t take it.”

This team of mostly underclassmen should have many of the same faces back for next year.

“We started to come together as a team,” said Casey McKague, who added nine points. “Hopefully we can carry that over to next year.”

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