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The Deering boys’ basketball team was well aware that Friday night’s game at Cheverus was the first in what figures to be a daunting four-game midseason stretch against top-tier teams.

The Rams made the statement that they were ready.

After matching a hot shooting start by the Stags’ one-two tandem of Jack Casale and Jesse Matthews, Deering controlled the game, especially in the third quarter, and rolled to a convincing 67-48 Class AA North victory.

“It was a statement game, because Cheverus is really good and we had to come out strong and hard,” said forward Ben Onek, who helped the Rams get going with 10 of his 14 points in the first quarter, including one breakaway dunk. “We’ve struggled with starting games the whole season and today we started and finished.”

Deering improved to 7-1 and will next host unbeaten Thornton Academy before playing once-beaten squads from South Portland and Portland. Including Cheverus (6-2), the combined record of those four teams entering Friday’s action was 23-3.

“They’re intelligent enough kids to know that this is a four-game meat grinder without any room to take a breath,” Deering Coach Todd Wing said. “But you also know you have to break it down. We handle business tonight and then it’s on to the next game.”

Raffaele Salamone was a constant for the Rams, carving out space inside for his offense for a team-high 19 points. He also controlled the glass and helped spark Deering’s transition offense with some long outlet passes.

“Pretty much every game this year if we’re not winning or we’re not winning by enough we really come out in the third quarter and just outwork teams on the glass, pushing the tempo even harder,” Salamone said. “Coach always talks about being finishers and tonight we finished.”

In the third quarter, Manny Chikuta took his turn carrying the Rams offense while Jean Claude Butera helped ratchet up the defensive pressure, making two steals. Chikuta scored 10 of his 12 points in the quarter, including knocking down consecutive 3-pointers, as Deering stretched a 33-25 halftime lead to 51-33.

Deering had six other players combine to chip in 22 more points and was able to end the third quarter and play the first two minutes of the fourth with five reserves on the court who matched the Stags’ output.

“Because they can play,” Wing said.

Among the reserves, Orey Dutton had six points and played a key role in helping to slow down Casale. The Cheverus guard finished with a game-high 23 points. When Casale made three of his first four shots, demonstrating both his range and creativity, Casale appeared headed for a monster scoring night. But Dutton, starter Machar Nguany, and plenty of help defense closed the early openings. Casale shot 7 of 20 the rest of the way.

Matthews added 12 points for Cheverus but was likewise stymied after a 10-point first half that included an impressive baseline drive finished with an authoritative two-handed dunk. Will Shibles was next on the Stags’ scoring sheet with six points.

“They beat us in every facet of the game,” said Cheverus Coach Ryan Soucie. “Offensively, defensivey, on the glass. They got to the free throw line, we didn’t. They beat us. They just came at us in waves. They just have that depth.”