Maybe it wasn’t pretty. Maybe basketball purists will look at the score and cringe.

But McAuley’s 30-25 overtime victory over Deering on Friday night meant a lot to both clubs.

For McAuley, the defending Class A champion, it was a great learning experience.

While three starters remain from the title team, the Lions have a relatively young team that needed to play in a physical, emotional game.

“We have some new girls,” said Bill Goodman, the first-year coach of the Lions. “They all needed a game like this. You can’t teach this type of intensity.”

Goodman had great praise for sophomore Olivia Smith, a transfer from Yarmouth. She missed Tuesday’s game at Windham because of a sprained ankle and didn’t know if she would play much against Deering.

“She’s not used to playing in games like this,” said Goodman. “But she showed some serious toughness out there.”

Smith finished with five points, four coming in overtime. She also grabbed two defensive rebounds in overtime after Alexa Coulombe fouled out.

And he couldn’t say enough about Allie Clement, who hit a late 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, made two free throws in overtime and came up with some clutch steals late.

“She’s a winner,” said Goodman.

Clement knew this was going to be a tough game.

“It was definitely the most physical game we’ve played,” she said. “We just all stood together and battled back. We trusted each other and know we are all there for each other.”

Deering, meanwhile, made some big points of its own. The Rams lost to McAuley in the regional final a year ago, also in overtime.

They entered the season with question marks following the graduation of star Kayla Burchill. After losing their first two games, the Rams won their next six before falling to McAuley.

“I like where we are right now,” said Deering Coach Mike Murphy, who is expecting injured guard Keneisha DiRamio back soon.

Ella Ramonas, the emotional leader of the Rams, said “this just showed everyone that we can still compete with the best.”

THERE WAS a moment of levity in the McAuley-Deering game.

With the score tied at 23 and 1:08 left in regulation, McAuley’s Alexa Coulombe was defending an in-bounds pass along her team’s defensive baseline. She swatted the ball high off the wall behind the court and it deflected into a trash barrel next to Deering’s bench.

Just about everyone on the court starting laughing, despite the tense situation.

COUNT GREELY girls’ coach Kim Hilbrich as someone who uses every game as a learning situation.

A case in point: Wednesday’s 40-27 loss to unbeaten Lake Region.

“It was a tough game, a tough loss,” she said. “But we can learn from it and go from there. A lot of people learned what they can do out there.”

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH