<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>And then the

flood came.

<span style="

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<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>It was a 23-3

deluge by Cape Elizabeth that filled the final seconds of the third

quarter and the entire fourth quarter, turning a tie game into a

rout as the Capers pulled away to defeat Gray-New Gloucester 73-53

in Western Maine Conference boys basketball action on Tuesday night

in Gray.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Cape (7-0)

remained unbeaten heading into the holiday break, but it wasn’t

easy. The Patriots (3-4) took advantage of their edge in size,

frequently breaking Cape’s full-court pressure and getting the ball

inside for easy baskets in the first three quarters to keep it

even.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>But with the

clock ticking down on the third quarter and the scored knotted at

50-50, the Capers held the ball for what was supposed to be the

last shot. Reserve Matt Donovan knocked down a foul-line jump shot,

then stole the inbounds pass and tossed up another shot just before

the horn that dropped through the net to give Cape a 54-50 lead

and the momentum entering the fourth quarter.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Donovan, a senior

captain who comes off the bench, added eight points in the fourth

quarter as Cape outscored Gray-New Gloucester 19-3, holding the

Patriots scoreless for the opening 4:30 of the final

period.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Donovan, who

finished with 12 points, had not scored until his four-point flurry

to close the third.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>“That’s huge,”

said Cape coach Jim Ray. “That’s one of the funnest things about

this group. More so than any team I’ve had, when things aren’t

going our way, nobody crawls into a shell. They all have this air

of confidence about them. (Donovan) stepped up for us tonight.

They’re not afraid to step up and shoot it when the shot presents

itself.”

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Cape had the

benefit of quickness and depth, but the Patriots were superior

inside. Taylor Valente, Gray-New Gloucester’s sturdy 6-foot-4

center, scored a game-high 27 points, getting the ball at the back

end of the Capers’ press and finishing strong at the rim. But in

the fourth quarter, the Patriots had less success getting through

the front of the pressure and their turnovers led to easy

transition baskets for Cape.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>“I think it was

fatigue, mental and physical,” said Gray-New Gloucester coach Scott

Flagg. “That was the biggest thing. For three quarters, we played

really well, but they were just grinding on us with their pressure.

Finally, it got to us.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>“I think in the

fourth quarter, there was a little too much over-dribbling. That

was mental fatigue not doing exactly what you’re supposed to do

and we dribbled ourselves into trouble a little bit. Our plan was

to break their pressure, get it inside and score. We did a decent

job of it for three quarters, but in the fourth quarter we wore

out.”

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>The Capers led

14-10 early on, but the Patriots closed the first quarter with a

6-0 run to take a 16-14 lead into the second quarter. The teams

went back and forth in the second quarter, with Cape retaking the

lead two minutes in after back-to-back 3-pointers by Ben Brewster

and Joey Doane, who both came off the bench. Cape led 35-33 at the

half.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Gray-New

Gloucester got the lead back early in the third and the teams

traded leads until Donovan gave the Capers the lead for

good.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Ray credited the

Patriots for their solid game plan and execution.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>“We would have

liked to have had more success earlier, but they did a great job,”

Ray said. “They’re very well coached. They’re prepared. They got

the ball down where they wanted to. They were hard for us to stop.

The Valente kid, he is tough around the basket. (Evan) Kenney, too.

They’re tall, strong, experienced.”

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Kenney added nine

points for Gray-New Gloucester. Andrew Dickey led Cape with 22

points and Doane chipped in 10.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>Both teams return

to conference play on Jan. 5, with Cape hosting Falmouth, which is

also undefeated and the favorite of many to win the West. The

Patriots host Yarmouth, looking for a Heal Point-worthy win to help

their postseason chances.

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>“It would be

really good if we could pull it together and pull off one a win

against a good team,” Flagg said. “We had somewhat of a chance

tonight. We had somewhat of a chance against Lake Region on

Saturday night. It would be really helpful, with the way they’ve

cut back playoff spots, to pull off one of these.”

<span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>

<span style="

“mso-spacerun: yes;”><span style="

“font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;”>