BRUNSWICK — In a game that saw the score change hands seven times and three tie scores in the second half, Brunswick/Mt. Ararat held off Morse, 58-57, in high school Unified basketball Monday afternoon at Brunswick High School.
Playing in front of a large crowd that included the BHS Band, the Dragons rallied from nine points down in the second half to earn the one-point victory from the Shipbuilders.
“That was a really good game. That was a big comeback,” Brunswick/Mt. Ararat coach Patrick Hurley said. “They adjusted to all of the feedback really well and it was nice to see them not give up.”
Brycen Cardali led the victors in scoring, netting 18 points, including eight points down the stretch, leaving the hoopster all smiles about his baskets.
“It was exciting to score a basket,” Cardali said.
He was even more excited about his team winning the game.
“Yes, it’s good to have a win,” added the junior.
Morse was paced by Keegan Companion’s 20 points and 19 rebounds.
The home team raced out to an 8-4 lead early in the contest behind a pair of baskets each from Lukas Umbriaco and Nate Hall.
Morse kept it close with Courtney Boucher and Michael Dunlop making shots, but the Dragons extended their lead to 22-16 when baskets by Hall, Paige Merrill and a jumper by Cardali pushed it out to six points with seven minutes left in the half.
The Shipbuilders came storming back, and following a jump shot by Michael Laser and a Dunlop layup after he grabbed a defensive board and dribbled coast-to-coast, Morse pulled within two, 28-26.
After another Companion offensive rebound and put-back, freshman Anthony Pelletier gave the Shipbuilders their first lead, 30-28.
Brunswick/Mt. Ararat tied the game before the half on a Cayman Almodovar hoop.
Companion grabbed 11 rebounds while netting 14 first-half points to lead all scorers at the break. Hall and Cardali split 20 points down the middle in the opening 20 minutes for the Dragons.
Second-half surges
Morse found the basket often to open the second half. After a Cardali bucket for Brunswick, Isaak Smith registered four quick points as the Shipbuilders claimed a 34-32 edge.
“Sometimes I get points, not all of the time, but I like to shoot,” Smith said. “We like having close games.”
A Sierra Gadson layup, a 3-point basket from Dunlop and a Companion put-back capped an 11-0 run and lengthened the Shipbuilders’ lead to 41-32.
The Dragons kept their cool, staying loose on and off the court while they slowly chipped away at the Morse lead with the rebounding of Hall and the scoring of Cardali.
“We always like to keep it fun on the bench and the court too. That’s our biggest priority here, then if we win, great,” Brunswick junior Lila Solberg said. “Our team has improved so much already. It’s nice to see them pass to one another, it’s been a great season so far.”
With 6:40 left, Paul Barnes scored his third consecutive hoop, giving the Dragons the lead, 54-53.
The teams traded a pair of baskets as Smith and Companion scored for Morse and Barnes and Almodovar for the Dragons, and the score stood at 58-57 with less than a minute to go.
Following a Brunswick miss, Companion hauled in his 19th rebound and the Shipbuilders moved to the offensive end with Morse coach Becky Roak calling a timeout.
“It’s exciting to see that competitive edge come out,” Roak said. “Sometimes we have a cooperative game and sometimes it’s competitive. They’re kids too, they want it just like anyone else.”
Companion received the ball and the long senior center put the ball up to the hoop, but his shot fell away from the rim and the Dragons grabbed the rebound to seal the victory.
After Cardali’s 18 points, Hall finished with 16 and Barnes had 12. Almodovar registered six points, Umbriaco four, and Merrill and Sophie Dostie each added a bucket in the win.
Behind Companion’s 20, Dunlop netted 11 points, followed by Smith’s eight, Boucher and Laser’s six, Pelletier’s four and Gadson’s two in the defeat.
Morse is scheduled to face Lisbon today at home, as well as hosting Westbrook on Friday before the February break.
Brunswick/Mt. Ararat is back on the court this afternoon against Freeport, before hosting Yarmouth on Thursday.
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