SOUTH PORTLAND – Joe Russo couldn’t completely confirm if he had just enjoyed a milestone victory.

As he stood outside the Portland locker room, he rumbled some numbers around in his head and thought that there was probably a pretty good chance that the Bulldogs’ entertaining 61-57 victory over South Portland in a Southern Maine Activities Association boys’ basketball game Friday night was one to store away.

While not sure of where the game ranked on his career victory total, Russo was sure of the fact that he had just enjoyed an ultra-entertaining contest between two talented basketball teams.

“If that was my 300th win, to remember it, it was one heck of a high school game,” said the Portland coach, who reportedly entered the season with 292 victories as coach of the Bulldogs (8-2).

“Both teams played hard, they played intense, they played with desire. Neither team wanted to lose that game. Those are the games you like to play in and the ones that fans enjoy.”

Early on, it didn’t look like the evening was going to be one to remember for Russo.

South Portland (7-3) jumped out of the gate and into an 11-2 advantage before the halfway point of the opening quarter. The Red Riots continued to assert themselves for the remainder of the quarter and built an 11-point lead before settling for a 19-11 advantage after one.

The Bulldogs clawed their way back to within 24-19 before the halfway point of the second quarter before South Portland restored some breathing room, with a 36-27 halftime lead.

Portland, and in particular Michael Herrick, erupted out of the break to set up an exciting finish. The senior guard scored eight points, draining a pair of 3-pointers, as the visitors opened the second half on a 9-2 run. The outburst brought the Bulldogs to within 38-36 before the third quarter was three minutes old.

“We just had the will to win and to never back down,” said Herrick, who scored a game-high 16 points. “That’s what our coach always tells us in the locker room and that’s all I keep in my mind.”

Portland managed to get back on even terms, 42-42, with 2:36 remaining in the third quarter when Herrick scored twice from the free-throw line.

The two teams basically traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter before Jayvon Pitts-Young scored in the final seconds to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 48-47.

Herrick and Pitts-Young, who finished with 13 points, scored back-to-back baskets in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to move Portland ahead 52-47.

Jack Tolan swung the pendulum back in favor of the Red Riots with two baskets, and Ben Burkey followed with a pair of free throws. The 6-0 run moved South Portland back ahead 53-52 with 6:18 remaining.

Two more lead changes followed, and two free throws and a basket by Logan Gaddar pushed the home side into a 57-54 lead with 3:03 left.

But that was all for the Red Riots as they were shut out the rest of the way.

“We missed some shots late, and they made some foul shots and they won the game at the end,” said South Portland Coach Phil Conley.

“I’m proud of the way my kids competed tonight.”

Portland, in the bonus, scored the final seven points of the game from the foul line. The finish included free throws from Peter Donato with 2:21 left to give the Bulldogs a 58-57 lead.

Tanner Hyland and Gaddar paced the Red Riots with 12 points each.