GRAY – The Patriots and the Clippers wrestled through a low-scoring affair on Tuesday evening, Jan. 31, one that saw G-NG surge ahead in the second and Yarmouth battle back in the third. In the end, however, the Patriots held on to emerge narrowly victorious 31-27, Bri Jordan leading the way with 11. 

G-NG head coach Mike Andreasen complimented the opposition and expressed mixed feelings with his girls’ own efforts. “[Yarmouth is] athletic and their zone bothered us,” he said. “It has two games now. For us, our defense, which never deserts us, saved us tonight. We used way too much energy on defense.”

“Defense is our strong side,” said Patriots Co-Captain Skye Conley. “That’s where we won it.”

The first quarter unfolded in tight action, with just a handful of field goals finding the net. Jordan and Conley both added points for the Patriots, Conley’s from the line, as the team inched ahead 6-4 after one.

In the second, play unclenched a little: Alison Clark began the stretch with a two for the Clippers, but G-NG’s Alicia Dumont answered with a three. Sara D’Appolonia then hashed two for Yarmouth from the line, but that’s when the Patriots broke into the game’s first big run. Jordan notched two from the line, then immediately sank a three; Yarmouth called timeout, but when the teams returned, G-NG picked up where they’d left off, Grace Kariotis promptly adding five on a two and a three. The Clippers closed the quarter with a pair of buckets, but still trailed by seven, 19-12, at the break.

“Yarmouth took care of the ball better than us, but fortunately for us, they didn’t make shots,” Andreasen said. “Give me a two-point lead and I’d rather have them have the ball than us have the ball. We’re solid on defense.”

The third belonged to Yarmouth. The Clippers hit the court looking hungry, and Clark, D’Appolonia and Clementine Blaschke spearheaded a comeback. Johanna Hattan then knocked down a go-ahead basket at 22-21.

“Offensively, we were really struggling against the zone,” Conley said. “A lot of teams we’re seeing are small and that’s why they play zone on us. (Yarmouth) was good on defense and they had height. They made a run against us and we realized we had to collect ourselves. We did and that helped us in the end. We try to never be too comfortable. “

From there, the teams traded blows: A pair of Jordan frees retook the lead for G-NG at 23-22 and a Conley two did the same at 25-24. Jordan followed Conley with a key basket, putting the Patriots up 27-24.

Scoring in the fourth slowed to a crawl: Neither side managed a point until nearly half the quarter had elapsed, and when Yarmouth finally struck, it was on a lone Blaschke free to bring her girls within two at 29-27. 

Minutes continued to fall off the clock – three and a half of them did, until, with 48 seconds remaining, Jordan, attempting a behind-the-back dribble to avoid a Yarmouth defender near midcourt, pulled a traveling call. The Clippers couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, however, and found themselves forced to foul Kariotis. But Kariotis missed her attempt from the line and Yarmouth came away with the ball. D’Appolonia fed Blaschke on a drive for the net – only to find Conley in the way, ready with a huge stuff.

“I knew she was going to go up with it,” Conley said of denying Blaschke. “I was hoping to block it or at least foul. I knew an easy two points wasn’t what we wanted.”

A jump ball – Conley and Clark battling – favored G-NG, and eight seconds later, Dumont ventured to the line. She couldn’t add to the Patriots’ lead, though, and Yarmouth snatched up the rebound. Their pass up-court sailed out of bounds, handing possession back to Dumont, who went to the line again with 13 seconds to play – and this time nailed both tries, inching her girls ahead to 31-27 and essentially locking down the W.

In addition to Jordan’s 11, Dumont tallied seven, Kariotis five and Conley and Jordan Grant four apiece. The Patriots won despite committing substantially more turnovers than the Clippers, 19-11. On the other hand, they shot better from the line, going 10/12 versus Yarmouth’s 5/9.

Andreasen outlined some aspects of their play that his girls need to clean up, going forward. “For us to have any thoughts to advance, we have to beat a zone,” he said. “We’re pretty good against man-to-man. We have to knock down shots and not turn the ball over.”

The win bumped No. 1 G-NG to 14-1 on the season. The Patriots close their regular schedule with matchups on the road at Waynflete, at home vs. Freeport and on the road at Poland. All three opponents are solid.

“Teams will come at us with all they’ve got,” Conley said. “As we progress through the tournament, we’ll play better teams. Having games where we can practice these situations is great.” 

Brianna Jordan scored 11 of the Patriots’ 31 in their narrow win over Yarmoun on Tuesday.

Izzy DeTroy lofts up a field goal attempt from way out.

Alicia Dumont ascends toward the net for G-NG vs. visiting Yarmouth.

G-NG’s Alexa Thayer surveys her pass options.

G-NG’s Skye Conley gets air vs. Yarmouth on Tuesday night.