FALMOUTH — Say this about Matt Packard: The kid steps up when his team needs him the most.

Packard scored 21 of his 26 points after halftime and pulled down seven rebounds to lead Falmouth’s rally to a 57-52 overtime victory over York in a Western Maine Conference boys’ basketball game Tuesday night.

“Big-time players step up and make big-time plays,” said Falmouth Coach Dave Halligan. “Somebody had to take control of the game and he did.”

The Yachtsmen (17-0) entered as the No. 1 team in the Western Class B Heal point standings. York (13-4) came in ranked fifth.

Aaron Todd led York with 18 points. Zack Leal added 14.

“We played our guts out and just came up short,” said York Coach Randy Small. “The kids are angry right now. We’ll take that into practice and get ready for the next opponent. Nobody is going to remember this game come next week. It’s as simple as that.”

York used an exhausting pressure defense to take control in the first half. After a back-and-forth opening quarter, the Wildcats took the lead on Hayden Webster’s jump shot with 7:15 to play in the half. Liam Langaas (12 points) scored six of York’s points on an 8-4 burst that closed the half and put the Wildcats ahead, 26-22.

Along the way, they forced Jack Cooleen (13 points, 8 rebounds) to draw three fouls before the half, perhaps altering the Yachtsmen’s plans.

But with 57 seconds left in the half, Packard hit his first of three 3-pointers on the night, cutting York’s lead to four and seeming to serve notice of what was to come.

York came out flying in the third quarter, opening with a 7-2 run for a 33-24 lead. Just when the Wildcats seemed poised to pull away, Packard went to work, scoring eight straight points, including a four-point play to close the quarter.

“I feel like I can always get shots if I need to, especially when (Cooleen) goes out, we need someone to step up,” said Packard, one of the eight seniors playing in his final home game. “I started to feel lucky and I shot a lot of shots that happened to go in.”

First, his twisting schoolyard jump shot with 4:51 left put the rowdy student section on their feet. Another jumper cut the lead to 35-28.

Then, with a defender in his face, he spun and put up a 23-foot shot from the center of the floor. He was fouled on the play, the shot fell and the buzzer sounded. He went to the line, hit the free throw and suddenly it was a three-point game, 35-32.

Falmouth then hit three straight 3-pointers (Ryan MacDonald, Packard and Alex Cattell) to tie it at 43 with 2:51 to play in regulation.

York regained the lead 45-43 on a drive along the baseline by Langaas with 2:02 left. Kyle Robinson hit a free throw for a 46-43 lead with 1:47 remaining, but 16 seconds later, Packard scored on a layup and hit a free throw to tie it again.

Matt Kingry of Falmouth drove and scored at the buzzer but was called for traveling. The Yachtsmen thought they had won but the game headed to overtime. Still, they had the momentum. Packard and Cooleen combined for nine of the Yachtsmen’s 11 points in overtime.

Both teams close the regular season Friday night. Falmouth is at Yarmouth, York at Wells.

“It’s great to play great teams at the end of the season,” said Cooleen. “I think we’ll be prepared (for the tournament).”