BOX SCORE

Greely 74 Yarmouth 66 (OT)

Y- 17 16 18 11 4- 66
G- 14 9 15 24 12- 74

Y- Cox 6-4-19, Psyhogeos 8-1-18, Snyder 3-2-8, Waeldner 4-0-8, Augur 1-2-5, Merrill 2-0-4, Rollins 2-0-4

G- Walker 13-4-35, Gabloff 5-7-19, Hirsh 3-2-9, St. Hilaire 0-4-4, Cloutier 1-0-3, Bickford 1-0-2, Gardner 1-0-2

3-pointers:
Y (5) Cox 3, Augur, Psyhogeos 1
G (9) Walker 5, Gabloff 2, Cloutier, Hirsh 1

Turnovers:
Y- 21
G- 12

FTs
Y: 9-11
G: 17-23

CUMBERLAND—Nothing has come easily this winter for a Greely boys’ basketball program that is used to winning and winning big.

The Rangers, who captured three consecutive Class A state championships between 2017-19 and made the Class A South semifinals last season, had only emerged victorious twice in eight games this year and Thursday night, at home, on Senior Night, they trailed a very talented and determined Yarmouth squad by 15 points in the fourth quarter.

But as it turned out, Greely had the Clippers right where it wanted them.

And the Rangers saved their best for last and produced their most inspirational victory of the season.

Yarmouth started fast, grabbing a 17-9 lead and even though Greely pulled within three after one quarter, the Clippers shot to a 13-point second period lead before taking a 33-23 advantage to halftime.

The Rangers, who barely stayed within hailing distance thanks to 14 first half points from junior Tim Walker, then started the second half with five straight points, but Yarmouth responded and went up by as many as 14, after a 3-point shot from junior Sutter Augur, before taking a 51-38 lead to the fourth period.

When junior Peter Psyhogeos scored on a putback with 6:27 to play, the Clippers seemingly had a commanding 55-41 advantage, but Greely would roar back.

The Rangers closed the frame on a 21-7 run and when junior Andrew St. Hilaire made two free throws with 50 seconds remaining, the game was deadlocked, 62-62.

Psyhogeos tried to win it at the horn, but his 3-pointer was just off-target, and the game would go to overtime.

Where Greely absolutely dominated.

A leaner from Walker 41 seconds in put the Rangers ahead to stay and they sank 10-of-12 free throws to put it away en route to a breathtaking 74-66 victory.

Walker led all scorers with 35 points and Greely improved to 3-7, beat Yarmouth for the 10th consecutive time and in the process, handed the Clippers just their second setback in nine outings this winter.

“We needed a win like this,” said Rangers coach Travis Seaver. “We needed to win together. It’s great to hear the guys hooting and hollering after a win. It was good to claw back. We haven’t put four quarters together, so it was good to see the guys put some good minutes together. Coming back from 14, I don’t care if it’s this year, past years, it’s a good accomplishment. The guys played tough.”

Best for last

Greely and Yarmouth both have enough pieces in place to believe they would have been in contention this winter, had this been a normal year with a postseason, not one abbreviated by COVID-19.

The Rangers struggled early, starting with a pair of losses to Falmouth, 77-47 at home and 85-32 at the Yachtsmen. Next came losses at home to Fryeburg Academy (48-30) and at Cape Elizabeth in overtime (56-50). Greely then got in the win column by beating the visiting Capers (70-60) and knocking off visiting Gray-New Gloucester (60-46). Last week, the Rangers lost twice to reigning Class AA state champion Edward Little (68-41 at home and 58-56 in Auburn). Monday brought a tough 66-64 loss at Lake Region.

The Clippers, meanwhile, swept Lake Region to start the year (winning, 76-35, in Naples and 51-40 at home). After a 52-43 loss at Brunswick, the Clippers turned the tables against the Dragons with a 48-34 home victory, then followed that up with wins at Freeport (57-35), at home over Freeport (43-26), edged host Cape Elizabeth in overtime (42-40), then beat the Capers again Tuesday, 57-47, at home.

Last year, Greely beat visiting Yarmouth, 62-49.

Thursday, the Clippers sought their first win over the Rangers since Jan. 16, 2015 (61-42 at home), but instead, Greely made it 29 out of 37 meetings since the start of the 2001-02 season.

In simply improbable fashion.

Greely, on its Senior Night, honored Grant Allard, Braden Bickford, Luke Gabloff, Bailey Hamlen and Benjamin Hirsh and their parents prior to the game and in a rarity in these pandemic times, the parents got to stick around and cheer on their sons.

And as it turned out, there was no shortage of highlights to cheer for.

Yarmouth started fast and trailed for just 34 seconds in the first quarter.

Psyhogeos hinted at his big night to come by opening the scoring with a putback.

After Bickford tied it with a layup, a Psyhogeos runner put the Clippers back on top.

Gabloff scored his first points on a layup to tie it, but again, Yarmouth answered, as junior Cole Snyder scored on a putback.

The Rangers took their first lead when Hirsh knocked down a 3, but Snyder countered with a putback and after Walker, who made an immediate splash off the bench, scored his first points on a jumper, Greely had what would prove to be its last lead for a long time, 9-8.

Psyhogeos then sparked a 9-0 run with a left-handed layup. Senior Cam Merrill took a pass from junior Matt Waeldner and made a layup, junior Will Cox scored his first points on an old-fashioned three-point play (layup, foul, free throw), then Waeldner went coast-to-coast for a layup and a 17-9 lead.

The Rangers closed the first period strong, as Walker knocked down a 3, then Walker hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to cut the deficit to three points, 17-14.

Yarmouth started the second quarter in style, as Cox made a 3 and Waeldner scored on a putback and after Walker made a 3, senior Camden Rollins scored on a putback for a 24-17 lead.

Gabloff set up Walker for a layup, but Cox made another 3, Psyhogeos scored on a layup and with 1:29 left before halftime, Psyhogeos’ corner 3 put the Clippers up by a dozen.

Late in the half, Walker got a contested bank shot to drop and after Cox answered with a free throw, St. Hilaire sank two foul shots to pull Greely within 10, 33-23, at the break.

While Psyhogeos (13 points) and Cox (10 points) helped Yarmouth open up a lead, Walker’s 14 points kept the Rangers very much alive as the second half dawned.

Greely roared out of the break with a layup from Hirsh and a 3-ball from Walker, but just as quickly as the Rangers appeared to get back into it, Cox countered with a 3 and after a Gabloff free throw, Waeldner got a leaner to rattle home to make it 38-29.

Junior Liam Gardner drove for a layup for the hosts, but Snyder hit two free throws.

After another 3 from Walker, Cox scored on a putback, Waeldner made a layup after a steal and with 3:19 remaining in the period, a Cox jumper pushed the Clippers’ lead to a dozen points, 46-34.

But Yarmouth couldn’t put the game away.

Gabloff answered with a long 3-pointer and after Merrill drove for a layup and Augur made a 3, a Walker free throw allowed Greely to keep a faint pulse, trailing, 51-38, heading to the final stanza.

Which wouldn’t prove to be the final stanza after all.

Thanks to some jawdropping Rangers heroics.

Cox started the fourth quarter by setting up Snyder for a layup and giving the Clippers their biggest lead of the night, 53-38.

Gabloff calmly countered with a long 3, but with 6:27 to go, Psyhogeos’ putback gave Yarmouth a 55-41 advantage.

And then, Greely erupted.

A runner in the lane from Hirsh started the comeback.

Gabloff then found Walker for a backdoor layup and the deficit was 10, 55-45, with 5:11 still to play.

After Walker made another layup, Augur sank two free throws, but Walker knocked down a 3-pointer, then with 3:16 showing, junior Max Cloutier’s 3 pulled the Rangers within four, 57-53.

Nine seconds later, it appeared Yarmouth had answered again, as Cox set up Psyhogeos for a layup while he was fouled and Psyhogeos added the and-one free throw to complete the three-point play for a seven-point lead.

But the fun was just beginning.

Greely kept the pressure on and Gabloff drove and banked home a shot to make it a five-point game.

“Luke can stretch the floor,’ Seaver said. “He has a nice touch. He knows the game well. It’s good to have a senior like that.”

With 2:28 left, the Clippers answered, as Cox sank two free throws to make it 62-55, but the visitors wouldn’t score again for a long time.

Just nine seconds later, Gabloff drove for a layup, was fouled and completed the three-point play with a free throw.

Walker missed a couple great looks to draw the Rangers closer, but with 1:14 to go, Walker, after another steal, wouldn’t be denied, scoring on a bank shot to pull Greely within two, 62-60.

“I just wanted to come in and shoot and help us get a win,” Walker said. “I was feeling it in warmups and I had a good game.”

Walker then stole the ball again and with 50 seconds showing, St. Hilaire was fouled.

St. Hilaire calmly made both attempts and some how, some way, the contest was tied, 62-62.

Yarmouth ran the clock down to 17 seconds, then called timeout.

The Clippers then came within inches of winning it in regulation.

After Cloutier stole the ball for the Rangers, Psyhogeos stole it right back, dribbled to just behind the 3-point arc, then just before the horn sounded, Psyhogeos launched a promising shot.

But it would sail just long and hit the back iron.

Overtime.

A four-minute OT would be needed to determine a winner and it soon became clear that the team that controlled the final couple minutes of regulation would keep that momentum going.

Yarmouth had a couple chances to take the lead early in OT, but both Snyder and Waeldner missed.

Then, Walker hit a leaner to give Greely its first lead since the score was 9-8 and the Rangers were ahead for good.

Walker then stole the ball and was fouled by Psyhogeos, who picked up his fifth foul and had to leave the game. Walker sank both attempts for a four-point lead.

After a Waeldner miss, Gabloff was fouled by Augur, who also fouled out. Gabloff then made two free throws for a 68-62 advantage with 2:26 on the clock.

The Clippers desperately tried to answer, but Gabloff drew a charge on Cox, then with 2:02 to go, Gabloff made one free throw for a three-possession lead.

Yarmouth turned the ball over and Walker hit one of two free throws for his 35th and final point of the game.

After another Clippers’ giveaway, Gabloff sank two more foul shots to cap a 17-0 run.

Finally, with 54 seconds on the clock, a Waeldner putback ended Yarmouth’s 5-minute, 34-second drought, but Hirsh countered with two more free throws to effectively end it.

Rollings scored on a putback just before the horn, but that only delayed the inevitable and the Rangers got to celebrate their dramatic 74-66 come-from-behind win.

“It was a good team win,” Walker said. “I’m glad we could show up on Senior Night. We came back because we stayed in it mentally. If we didn’t do that, it would have slipped away. We stayed together and won it.”

“This year, we’ve had some games slip away from us and this one felt like it was slipping away from us in the third quarter, but we flipped the switch and we all turned it up,” Gabloff said. “We got aggressive, got to the foul line, got easy points. We were able to capitalize on (Yarmouth’s) mistakes. The difference was rebounding. In the first half, they jumped over us and wanted it more. I thought we had momentum going into overtime. Especially in our house with our supporters. Our bench was amazing.”

Walker had a game for the ages, scoring 35 points, while coming up with four timely steals.

“Timmy is going to be a really good player the more he matures,” Seaver said. “He played the way we hope he will in the future and thought he could. He’s a great athlete who can play both ends of the floor.”

Gabloff, who had just two points at halftime, wound up with 19 on his 18th birthday.

“It’s a great birthday present,” said Gabloff, who will play next year at Southern Maine Community College. “The best you can ask for. It was a great experience. We got to bring a couple guests. We got our parents in here. They were great, banging on the bleachers, starting a student section chant. It was a great environment, getting to give my Mom flowers and give my Mom and Dad a hug.”

Hirsh added nine points and three assists, St. Hilaire made four huge free throws for four points, Cloutier finished with three (as well as three assists), while Bickford and Gardner added two points apiece.

The Rangers had a 9-5 edge in 3-pointers, only turned the ball over 12 times and were superb at the free throw line, sinking 17-of-23 tries.

A tough lesson

Yarmouth got 19 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals from Cox.

Psyhogeos wound up with 18 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.

Snyder added eight points and seven rebounds, Waeldner had eight points, five assists, five steals and five rebounds, Augur finished with five points and Merrill and Rollins had four apiece.

The Clippers out-rebounded the Rangers, 45-26, and made 9-of-11 free throws, but 21 turnovers, 12 coming after halftime, sealed their doom.

“Greely’s a winning program,” said Yarmouth coach Jonas Allen. “They know how to win. They know how to deal with success and how to deal with adversity. That’s who they are. Coach Seaver does an incredible job. We’re still working on that. When it mattered, their winning DNA was stronger than ours. We fell apart. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. I didn’t do a good job managing the game. When you fall apart against a winning program, you lose. I was certainly hoping we’d come out and fight, but our body language didn’t indicate that. We looked like we’d lost in overtime and when you look like you’d lost, you lose.”

Farewell

Saturday marks the final day of the 2021 season and the teams will meet again, this time in Yarmouth, in the afternoon.

Yarmouth looks to responded positively and get its bad taste from Thursday out of its collective mouth.

“The only thing we can do right now is look in the mirror,” Allen said. “If we’re going to build a winning tradition at Yarmouth, this is the kind of game we have to learn from. We’ll see if we come back with resolve and resiliency. We’ll learn a lot about ourselves in the next 48 hours.”

Greely, meanwhile, hopes to beat the Clippers one more time and end a challenging season in style.

“It’s been a tough year, but I think this was a good win for us,’ Walker said. “I think we’ll be good next year. I’m excited.”

“This has been a great journey for me,” Gabloff said. “I’ve seen it all. It’s great to have the whole experience. My first three years, I’ve been on two state champions and a heartbreak last year. This year’s been a rebuilding season to help get the guys prepared for next year.”

“First and foremost, we’re here and that’s an accomplishment,’ Seaver said. “We’ve gotten younger guys experience. Our other goal was to give the seniors an opportunity to be on the floor and enjoy their time. We take great pride in any opportunity to be on the floor and get better. We’ve done that.”

Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports

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