YARMOUTH — Chris Knaub had the game of his life Saturday. Sam Torres kept getting loose at the other end for layups and Josh Britten was there to steady everyone.

Sounds like a formula for a regional basketball title.

Yarmouth broke the tight grip other Western Maine Conference schools have had on the regional Class B championship with a 56-50 win over Falmouth and will play Gardiner for the Class B state title at 8:45 tonight at the Bangor Auditorium.

Yarmouth is playing in its first state basketball championship game in 39 years. Gardiner is playing in its first — period. The teams are similar in makeup.

When asked to summarize his team, Coach Adam Smith said: “I have one guy who loves basketball as his No. 1 sport. The rest are a supporting cast of athletes who have other No. 1 sports.”

Team makeup aside, it’s all come together for the Clippers (17-4), who hope to add a second gold basketball to the school’s trophy case, joining the one from 1968.

Josh Britten has been Yarmouth’s go-to player for the last two seasons. One of the best players in the state, Britten, who averages 22 points per game, will be the one Gardiner will look to contain.

For Yamouth to be successful, one or two of the other starters will have to step up, just as they did against Falmouth.

Early in the season, the players came to the realization that Britten, as good as he is, couldn’t do it alone.

He had fouled out of the first Falmouth game. Knaub stepped up in his absence and hit two 3-pointers. The Clippers lost by four but had found their niche.

“Everyone has a role,” said Knaub, who scored a career-high 26 points in the regional final.

“We might have been reluctant to shoot because it was Josh’s team. When he fouled out we knew we all had to contribute. We had to buckle down on defense and outwork our opponent.”

Yarmouth has outworked its opponents more times than not this season.

The Clippers have to because they’re not as deep as most teams. They used seven players in the regional final.

“We have a core group who has to play well every game,” said Smith.

Knaub and Torres, both seniors, are standout soccer players and used to the attention the sport receives at Yarmouth. The adulation for basketball in school this week is refreshing, they said.

“Everyone is talking about the win over Falmouth and the state championship,” said Knaub.

“It’s still a litle weird to have basketball on the same level as soccer.”

Knaub, a goalkeeper, will attend Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., on a soccer scholarship. Torres will play soccer at Bates College. Both said being on a state championship team in soccer has carried over to basketball.

The Clippers have been winners in basketball for a long time. They also played in last year’s regional final. They just needed the confidence to get over the hurdle.

“You have to put yourself in position,” said Smith.

“If you do it enough times, good things will happen. We had a few things go our way against Falmouth.”

Knaub and Torres feel soccer and basketball go hand in hand.

“Both of our coaches in soccer and basketball are similar,” said Torres.

“They coach the same and stress the same things.”

Knaub’s accuracy from 3-point range didn’t surprise his coach or teammates.

“Chris does that in practice all the time,” said Smith.

“He felt really good during the tournament.”

Torres’ ability to score on breakaways is primarily because of his position on defense.

“I play at the top of the defense. I’ve been able to get out and get open,” he said.

Yarmouth likely will need continued strong offense from them to beat Gardiner. But mostly it’s been the work ethic that has sustained the Clippers.

“It’s the hard work we have done,” said Smith.

“I push these kids to the max in practice. They’ve risen to the occasion.”

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH