PORTLAND – Ever since the third-seeded Portland boys basketball team was upset by seventh-ranked South Portland in last year’s quarterfinal playoff round, there’s been one thing on the Bulldogs’ mind when it comes to the Red Riots – payback.
Portland had to wait nearly 11 months, but last Friday night they got a little bit of vengeance.
Portland started out quick, opening a 14-5 lead after six minutes, and never looked back, staying in front from start to finish in a 63-47 win over South Portland at the Expo. The win moved the Bulldogs to 10-0 – the only remaining undefeated in Western Class A – and perhaps solidified their status the team to beat in the league, while the Red Riots dropped to 8-2.
Friday’s game was highly anticipated coming in and was played in front of an energetic and packed house. And while contests between the two old rivals are always hotly contested, last year’s playoff result added an extra edge both on the court and in the stands, something the home team was able to take advantage of throughout.
“I’m sure they wanted to win after us upsetting them last year but I think any Portland/South Portland basketball game’s going to have intensity and energy,” South Portland coach Phil Conley said. “And I think both teams showed it, our kids played extremely hard and didn’t back down. They made their shots tonight and we didn’t, so hats off to Portland.”
Portland’s shooting was the difference right from the get-go, and senior forward Nate Smart had the hot hand early, drilling three 3-pointers and scoring 12 of his team’s first 14 points as the Bulldogs raced out to a 16-11 lead after one.
After Matt Talbot hit a free throw to extend that lead to six to open up the second, Red Riot forward Ben Burkey made a layup and was fouled for a potential three-point play. Burkey missed the free throw but teammate Jaren Muller grabbed the rebound and had a chance to bring the lead down to just two, but Muller missed an open layup.
Nick Volger then hit a three down at the other end to get the advantage back up to seven, and South Portland would never get closer than that the rest of the way as Portland extended the lead to 33-21 at half.
“They shot the ball extremely well in the first half but at halftime we were only down by 12,” Conley said. “I think we played a much better second half but we dug ourselves a hole early and we just couldn’t get out of it.
“Portland plays extremely tough defense and they make you earn everything.”
The Bulldogs brought a 45-32 edge into the final quarter but a Muller layup with 5:30 to play got the lead back down to 10. After a stop, the Red Riots had the ball with a chance to get even closer, but Tanner Hyland was called for a travel on a jump-stop driving into the paint. Volger followed the turnover with another dagger 3-pointer down at the other end to salt the game away as the Bulldogs went on the 16-point victory.
“I think that was the key point of the fourth quarter,” Conley said of the travel call. “We got the short end of the stick and they went back the other way and hit a three, so that was a five-point swing and definitely hurt.”
Smart led the way for Portland with 17, while Justin Zukowski added 10 and Jayvon Pitts-Young had eight for the Bulldogs. With 14 Hyland was the high scorer for the Red Riots, who also got 11 from Jack Tolan and nine from Burkey.
After opening the season 7-0, Friday night’s loss was the second defeat in three games for South Portland, who also lost a 58-52 overtime heartbreaker to Deering on Jan. 4, a game that was sent into overtime by a Deering free throw with no time remaining in regulation. Though the setback to Portland means the Red Riots have now fallen in the first two games on their schedule against fellow big dogs in Western Class A, Conley said both losses had shown his team could play with the very best the league has to offer, and that Friday’s game would only help his team grow before their rematch with the Bulldogs in South Portland on Feb. 5.
“What I take out of this game for our guys is they shot the ball extremely well, and we didn’t shoot as well as we have in the past,” Conley said. “But the kids never gave up, they gave me everything they had and we still have another game with (Portland).
“I told the kids in the locker room we’re still 8-2, not 2-8, and we have to continue to work hard and correct some of the mistakes we had and get ready for the next game. We don’t have any time to hang our heads, we’ve got to get ready.”
South Portland point guard Tanner Hyland drives into the Portland paint while Jayvon Pitts-Young chases in the second quarter. Staff photos by Cameron Dunbar
South Portland point guard Tanner Hyland goes up for a layup in the first quarter against Portland. Hyland led the Red Riots with 14 points, but the Bulldogs took the victory 63-47.
South Portland guard Calvin Carr tries to get by Portland’s Steve Angelo in the second quarter.
Portland guard Jayvon Pitts-Young tries to put up a shot over South Portland’s Ben Burkey (12) and Tanner Hyland in the third quarter. Pitts-Young scored eight points as the Bulldogs beat the Red Riots 63-47.
South Portland’s Trevor Borelli plays tough defense on Portland’s Justin Zukowski in the third quarter. Borelli scored five points but the Bulldogs got the better of the Red Riots 63-47.
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