CAPE ELIZABETH—On the heels of three consecutive losses, facing a 19-point halftime deficit, Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ basketball team could have easily rolled over Monday evening against visiting Freeport.

Instead, the Capers got off the deck, rallied and turned their season around with an inspirational victory.

One which could have far-reaching repercussions.

The Falcons were sizzling from the field in the first half, building a 21-8 advantage after one quarter behind a pair of 3-point shots from senior Bryce Dwyer, then making it 39-20 at the break, as Dwyer drained three more 3s.

Cape Elizabeth then relied on its pressure defense to spark the rally in the third period and a pair of 3-pointers from sophomore Josh Rosen, who came off the bench to make a powerful impact, helped cut the deficit to 50-40 heading for the final stanza.

And there, the Capers kept on coming, finally taking the lead with 3:10 on the clock, on a Rosen basket, and after Freeport retook the lead on a layup after a steal from senior Conner Smith with 1:10 remaining, Rosen set up freshman Carter Mitchell for a layup 14 seconds later to put Cape Elizabeth in front to stay.

Down the stretch, Rosen made three clutch free throws and senior Eli Smith did the same, and the Capers went on to a 63-58 victory.

Eli Smith, who buried multiple 3-pointers from way downtown in the second half, finished with a game-high 23 points and Rosen added 13 as Cape Elizabeth improved to 1-3, dropping the Falcons to 1-3 in the process.

“We really needed this energy release,” said Capers coach Jeff Mitchell. “We’re young, but I and the other coaches know what the guys are capable of. It’s a massive, massive win for us mentally.”

Never out of it

Cape Elizabeth started with setbacks at Lake Region (49-38) and Yarmouth (71-49), then fell at home to Lincoln Academy Friday (50-32).

Freeport, meanwhile, beat reigning Class A champion Gray-New Gloucester in its opener (53-49), then dropped close decisions to Brunswick (50-46) and Lewiston (54-52).

Last winter, the Falcons beat the Capers, 62-30, in a game played during the holiday tournament at the Portland Exposition Building.

Monday, Freeport appeared primed to pull away for another decisive victory.

Until Cape Elizabeth roared back in breathtaking fashion.

Carter Mitchell scored on a leaner 23 seconds to give Cape Elizabeth the game’s first points, but that would mark the Capers’ last lead for a long, long time.

The Falcons then went on an 18-0 run to seemingly seize control.

After Conner Smith set up junior Drew Pound for a layup to tie it, Dwyer hit his first 3, then Dwyer set up Pound for an 8-2 advantage, forcing Jeff Mitchell to call timeout.

It didn’t help, as Pound fed Dwyer for another 3-ball, Smith banked home a shot in traffic, Smith sank a free throw, Smith buried a turnaround jumper, then with 2:37 left in the opening stanza, junior Mason Vintinner found Pound on a backdoor cut for a layup to make it 18-2.

Eli Smith’s first points, a 3-pointer, 18 seconds later, snapped the run and Cape Elizabeth’s 5 minute, 18 second scoring drought, then Smith sank another 3 after a turnover, but with 40 seconds on the clock, Freeport’s Smith hit a corner 3 and the Falcons held a 21-8 advantage, thanks to eight points from Smith, seven from Pound and six from Dwyer.

Freeport extended its lead in the second period.

After Carter Mitchell set up freshman Finn Connolly for a layup, Conner Smith fed senior Eben Lyons for a layup, but a corner 3 from senior Eli Halter pulled the Capers within 10 points, 23-13.

They would draw no closer, as Vintinner passed to Dwyer for a 3 and after sophomore Owen Beaureguard countered with a 3 for the hosts, Vintinner twice set up Dwyer for 3s in a 28-second span to double it up, 32-16.

Dwyer added a jumper in the lane and after junior Tim Fredericks countered with two foul shots to snap an 8-0 run, Pound scored on a putback.

In the final minute, Eli Smith made two free throws for Cape Elizabeth, but a corner 3 from Pound gave Freeport a seemingly commanding 39-20 halftime lead.

Dwyer (17 points) and Pound (12) each scored in double figures in the first half and the Capers appeared to be on the ropes, but instead, they would come to life when the third period commenced.

The rally began with Eli Smith setting up senior Henry Moore for a layup.

With 6:33 to go in the frame, Smith attempted a long 3-pointer and found the net.

After Fredericks drove for a layup to cut the deficit to a dozen, Freeport coach Tyler Tracy called timeout and it helped, as Conner Smith countered with a 3 and Pound sank a free throw to make it 43-27.

The Capers kept coming, however, as first Fredericks drove for a layup, then Connolly took a pass from Halter and made a layup to cut the deficit to a dozen.

After sophomore Ben Albertini answered with a baseline runner for the Falcons, Rosen first got involved on the offensive end with a 3-ball.

Conner Smith drove for a layup, but Eli Smith countered with another long 3 to pull Cape Elizabeth within 10, 47-37.

After Lyons scored on a putback, Rosen hit his second 3 and while Freeport senior Alex Berry sank a late free throw to make the score 50-40, the Capers knew they were very much in the contest heading the fourth quarter.

“We play a pressure defense called ‘Stack ‘ and when it’s run correctly, it really causes chaos and it worked in the second half,” said Jeff Mitchell. “That’s how we got back in the game. We wanted to let our defense create our offense and that’s exactly what happened. Every coach down 19 at half thinks they can do it, but when we cut it to 10 after three, I knew we were within reach.”

Then, in a little over a minute to start the final period, Cape Elizabeth cut its deficit from 10 to just two.

Eli Smith got the fun started just five seconds in with an NBA-range 3-pointer.

After a Rosen steal, senior Eli Morse went to the line and made one free throw.

Rosen then drove for a layup and with 6:55 to go, after a steal from Halter, Smith set up Halter for a layup to make the score 50-48.

After a Freeport timeout, the Capers had chances to go in front, but Rosen missed a 3 and Connolly couldn’t put home an offensive rebound.

With 5:29 on the clock, Dwyer set up Pound for a layup, the Falcons’ first field goal in 4:30, but Fredericks countered with a runner in the lane.

Fredericks then picked up his fourth foul with 4:21 to go and when Conner Smith scored on a leaner four seconds later, the Falcons had a two-possession lead, but it wouldn’t last.

With 3:43 remaining, Eli Smith drained another long-range 3 to cut the deficit to a single point.

“I just shoot the ball if I’m open,” Smith said. “I’ve put in so much time and so much work into 3s. If I’m open, the shot is going up and I’m confident I’m going to make it. Those 3s got us momentum.”

Then, after getting the ball back, Cape Elizabeth took its first lead since the score was 2-0, when Rosen spun and finished with 3:10 left.

Neither team then scored for two minutes before Conner Smith stole the ball, raced in and made a layup to put Freeport back in front, 56-55.

But after coming so far, the Capers weren’t about to fall short.

On the ensuing possession, Rosen drew the defense, then found Carter Mitchell for a layup with 56.5 seconds showing, giving Cape Elizabeth the lead for good.

“I just saw a great cut and I knew it was a great opportunity to get (Carter) the ball,” Rosen said.

Conner Smith tried to answer, driving in for a basket, but he was called for an offensive foul.

With 32.5 seconds to go, Rosen was fouled and went to the line for two free throws.

He made both.

Fredericks, playing with four fouls, then stole the ball and got it to Rosen, who was fouled again.

This time, Rosen missed the first attempt, but made the second and the Capers had a 60-56 advantage with 21.1 seconds showing.

Freeport tried to answer, but couldn’t muster a shot, as again, Fredericks came up huge, stealing the ball.

“I knew I had to keep my hands up and play composed and that’s what I did,” Fredericks said. “Defense is what I’m all about. Offense wins games, but at the end of the game, you have to play defense.”

This time, Eli Smith was fouled and he made one of two attempts with 11.7 seconds to play.

The Falcons kept hope alive on a Pound layup with 7.2 seconds remaining, but Cape Elizabeth got the ball in to Eli Smith, who was fouled.

With 2.5 seconds on the clock, Smith hit both attempts.

“I don’t feel pressure at all,” Smith said. “I love those moments when the game is on the line.”

That made it official and at 8;25 p.m., the Capers celebrated their improbable 63-58 victory.

“It did not look good in the first half,” said Eli Smith. “We’re a young team and they got off to a fast start, but we stayed composed. We came out in the second half and turned on our press and got some turnovers and got some buckets.”

“We had motivation to get out of our rocky start and we did,” Fredericks said.

“Since last game, we’ve talked about playing more confident with our body language, the way we show up for practice and the way we play offense,” added Jeff Mitchell. “It’s a long season and this was way more about our mental state than Heal Points.”

Eli Smith led all scorers with 23 points. He also had four assists and three steals.

“Eli is streaky,” Jeff Mitchell said. “When he’s on, he’s on. When he sees it go in, he really gets streaky. That happened tonight. He also knocked down some big free throws. He’s our senior and he’s asked to keep things steady and he did that.”

Rosen was huge off the bench with 13 points and a pair of assists.

“It starts with energy and effort,” Rosen said. “I just wanted to play hard and do my best for my team. I just play hard every night and do my thing.”

“Josh is normally a starter for us, but we decided to go defense-first today,” said Jeff Mitchell. “I told him before the game he’d get in. He had a great mindset and a great approach and knocked down some huge buckets and free throws.”

Fredericks had eight points, five huge steals, three rebounds and two assists.

“(Tim’s) the strongest kid on the court,” Jeff Mitchell said. “When he has body control, sometimes he’s our best weapon. He kept a level head and did what we asked him to do.”

Halter finished with five points (to go with four assists, four steals and three rebounds), Connolly (four rebounds) and Mitchell (six rebounds) had four apiece, Beaureguard finished with three, Moore had two and Morse one.

The Capers made 10 3-pointers, only turned the ball over 12 times and made 11-of-14 free throws.

Freeport got 17 points apiece from Dwyer, Pound (nine rebounds, two assists and two steals) and Smith (eight rebounds and three assists). Lyons added four points, Albertini had two and Berry one.

The Falcons enjoyed a 40-24 rebounding advantage, but turned the ball over 23 times and made just 3-of-8 foul shots.

“A lot of credit to (Cape),” Tracy said. “They stepped up and outworked us. We really broke down in the second half and they did that to us. They came out in the second half with a ton of energy. We told the guys the first two, three minutes would dictate how the game would go. We had some breakdowns and missed some opportunities. There are times we executed well, but the frustrating thing was we couldn’t finish. We missed a couple bunnies and we had guys open and threw it over their head. We allowed the emotion of the game to dictate how we played. You want your team to play their best in the second half. I just don’t have these guys ready to play a full 32 minutes and I have to get better at that.”

Back in action

Freeport goes home to meet Mt. Ararat Thursday, where it hopes to bounce back.

“We just need to be more consistent,” said Tracy. “We have moments where we look really good. We have moments where we look very good defensively. We’re locked down, rotating as one. Offensively, we have moments where we’re moving the ball and then we have moments where it’s very individual.”

Cape Elizabeth travels to Mountain Valley Saturday for a rematch of last year’s Class B South preliminary round playoff game.

The Capers hope to build on the momentum of Monday’s inspirational victory.

And get some revenge in the process.

“This is huge after starting 0-3,” Rosen said. “We got a big win and now we’re going to go into Mountain Valley and (get some payback).”

“I think about last year a lot,” said Fredericks. “Losing in the first round of the playoffs, that was a hit, but we want to get our revenge. We’re going to keep our energy going.”

“We just have to take it one game at a time,” Eli Smith said. “We’ll build off this win and keep the momentum going.”

“We have to lean into this feeling and maintain it Saturday,” added Jeff Mitchell. “We don’t have a ton of players who played last year, but they’ve heard about how we laid an egg up there last year. (Mountain Valley’s) a fun place to play and I want the guys to own it.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.