OLD ORCHARD BEACH— 4-23.
A stat that not only provided an early exit for the Old Orchard Beach girls basketball team from the Western Class C playoffs on Tuesday night, but also the bane of the existence of the Seagulls all season.
The stat represents the number of free throws made in 23 attempts (17 percent) against Georges Valley in the Western Class C preliminary contest.
Coupled with 30-plus turnovers, it was the Buccaneers that left the gym of Old Orchard Beach High School with a 43-31 win. The Gulls, who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, end the season with a 9-10 record.
The problems at the free throw line have been well documented this season for Old Orchard.
“That’s been the difference all year,” Old Orchard head coach Dean Plante said. “We’re legitimately 13-5, if were 45 percent [successful] from the line. But we don’t make excuses, we found ways to win in other ways, and tonight we had our chances with layups and we didn’t get them early. You live with the outcome when you play hard.”
To make matters worse during the contest, the Gulls had trouble stopping Georges Valley center Kennadi Grover, who scored a game-high 25 points, 58 percent of her team’s offensive output.
“Games she’s on, they’re tough,” Plante said. “Games she’s off, they struggle, too. She was on tonight. She had 18 of their first 23 [points]. She worked for them.”
Old Orchard had trouble with offensive output coming out of the gates, as the Bucs marched to a 10-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Georges Valley lengthened the lead in the second quarter, with Grover scoring nine points alone in the period, to head into the locker room at halftime with a comfortable 23-10 lead.
“In the first half, we really struggled to put the ball in the hoop,” Plante said. “In the first quarter, we had some fantastic looks. Probably five uncontested layups that just didn’t finish. Couple that with 0-12 [at the foul line] in the first half. A 13 point game is quickly five or six, it’s a different ballgame, we’re not scrapping. We took some of our defensive-minded kids out and put in some offensive-minded kids, that changes the dynamics.”
The Gulls responded in the third quarter, outscoring the Bucs 14-11, as guard Julia Fregeau and forward Christina Coleman each knocked down 3-pointers. Old Orchard center Gillian Foss, who at times was double or triple-teamed underneath basket, also became involved in the offensive effort, bringing the Bucs lead to 34-24 heading into the fourth quarter. But it would be too much Georges Valley, who kept the lead between 9-13 points through the rest of the contest.
There were bright spots for Old Orchard. Gulls forward Katie Hatch led the team with 12 points. Foss, playing in her final game, pulled down 10 rebounds.
“She’s been mauled all year,” Plante said. “Tonight, she missed a couple on the perimeter that might have loosened her up a little, but she’s fighter. She scraps. Give me five Gillians any year.”
Georges Valley will move on to play #1 seed Hall-Dale next week in the Western Class C quarterfinals at the Augusta Civic Center.
Even with the Gulls’ struggles, Plante couldn’t have been happier with the play of his team throughout the season.
“Once again, the effort’s always there,” Plante said. “They executed. We just didn’t finish tonight.”
Full Court Press: Along with Foss and Hatch, Tuesday night marked the final game for three other Old Orchard seniors; forward Brett Allen, guard Kelsey Koenigs and forward Debora Jean Gordon”¦
The Georges Valley playoff run is historic, in a way, as it will be the final girls basketball playoff chase in school history. Georges Valley High School, located in Thomaston, will no longer exist at the end of the school year, as it will merge with Rockland to form what will be known as Oceanside High School.
— Contact Dave Dyer at 282-1535 ext. 318
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