Top-seeded Wells kept its composure as No. 8 Freeport rallied and took the lead in the fourth quarter, beating the Falcons 52-45 in a Class B South boys’ basketball quarterfinal Saturday at the Portland Expo.
Wells (13-6) advances to play No. 5 Gray-New Gloucester in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Cross Insurance Arena. Freeport, making its first playoff appearance in 11 years, ends at 11-9.
Wells was just 9 for 22 from the foul line through three quarters, then went 11 for 14 in the fourth to seal the win.
“We’re a good free-throw shooting team, but we were terrible tonight,” Wells Coach Troy Brown said.
Added Wells forward Tyler Bridge: “I guess we will be practicing free throws at practice.”
Freeport, which beat Lisbon in the prelims, had a win over Wells in the regular season, 52-37 on Feb. 6.
After trailing for much of the first three quarters, Freeport took a 38-36 lead on Toby Holt’s basket with 5:12 left.
It was the Falcons’ first lead since the first quarter, and the first of four lead changes in the fourth.
Wells regained the lead when Cam Cousins (14 points, six rebounds) hit a baseline jumper and was fouled. He hit the free throw for a 39-38 lead.
Wells took the lead for good with 3:30 left when Cousins scored down low for a 41-40 advantage.
“I thought Cameren, coming out (after a timeout) and scoring those two baskets was huge,” Brown said.
The Warriors pushed their lead to 46-40 when Matt Sherburne hit a pair of free throws and then converted a three-point play with just over two minutes to play. Sherburne finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Bridge led the Warriors with 16 points and six rebounds. He got Wells going in the third quarter when he scored eight straight points to stretch a four-point lead to 12. He scored on three offensive rebounds and a jumper.
“That’s the most important thing – coming out in the second half strong,” Bridge said “After halftime we wanted to keep the lead, so it was big.”
“Their zone was a little extended out on the wings, so Tyler (Bridge) had a free reign in the middle, and Cam was making some nice passes to him, because he’s going to draw a double-team from them,” Brown added. “Tyler got himself under control and made some nice little … pull-up jumpers.
“Earlier in the year, he might have tried to bull through there and lay one in and get a charge and come away with nothing.”
Gabe Wagner led Freeport with 16 points – 14 in the second half. Holt also had a good second half, scoring all of his 11 points.
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