PORTLAND—After steamrolling Wells by 26 points in its season opener, Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ basketball team appeared en route to another easy victory Tuesday evening at Waynflete, but this time, the Capers had to work for it.

And they passed their first big test as a result.

Cape Elizabeth, which drained 16 3-point shots in its first game, made four 3s in just over two minutes to grab a 16-6 halftime lead, then it threatened to run away and hide when senior Owen Tighe scored five quick points and junior Alex Van Huystee added a free throw for a seemingly commanding 29-8 advantage.

But the Flyers settled down and when seniors Matt Adey and Cole Isherwood scored in the final minute, they were only down, 31-16, at the half.

Waynflete then amped up its defense in the third period, getting within five points before the Capers took a 36-29 lead to the fourth quarter.

There, the Flyers got as close as 46-42 on a leaner from junior Nico Kirby, but after missing a pair of shots to get even closer, Waynflete could only foul in desperation and Cape Elizabeth senior Sam Lombardo put it way with four free throws as the Capers prevailed, 50-42.

Tighe led all scorers with 15 points as Cape Elizabeth improved to 2-0 on the young season and in the process, dropped the Flyers to 2-1.

“Waynflete’s always a battle,” said Capers coach Jeff Mitchell. “They’re well-coached. It’s always close at the end and we were lucky to pull it out.”

A different game

Cape Elizabeth couldn’t miss from the outside for much of its Opening Night 79-53 home win over Wells, as 13 different players scored.

Waynflete, meanwhile, won twice last weekend, 63-42, over visiting Sacopee Valley and 52-23 at Seacoast Christian.

Last winter, the Capers handled the visiting Flyers, 74-55.

Tuesday, Cape Elizabeth started fast and looked poised to pull away again, but Waynflete got off the deck and made the Capers work for the complete 32 minutes before they were able to exhale.

It took just 16 seconds for the visiting team to strike first, as senior Tony Dell’Aquila set up classmate James Rickman for a layup.

The Flyers drew even on two free throws from senior Matt Adey, but with 6:13 to go in the first quarter, Tighe put Cape Elizabeth back on top with a putback.

Waynflete tied the score again on a bank shot from junior Ishan Reese, but with 3:45 left in the frame, a 3-pointer from the corner from Van Huystee gave the Capers the lead for good.

Adey answered with a jumper, but Cape Elizabeth poured it on as the quarter ended, as first Dell’Aquila, then Tighe, then Dell’Aquila again, all hit 3s for a 16-6 advantage.

The Capers weren’t done, as they extended their lead in the second quarter.

Tighe got things started by driving and laying the ball home with his left hand. After Lombardo sank a 3, Rickman scored on a leaner and Cape Elizabeth had scored 16 straight points and led, 23-6.

With 5:35 left in the first half, freshman Jed Alsup scored on a runner to snap the Flyers’ 5 minute, 56 second scoring drought, but Tighe sank a 3, then scored on a putback and with 2:30 on the clock, Van Huystee’s free throw produced a seemingly insurmountable 29-8 advantage.

But Waynflete would begin to rally late in the half.

First Adey scored on a bank shot. Senior Connor Ford then took a pass from classmate Cole Isherwood and made a layup. After Lombardo answered with a jumper, the Flyers got a fastbreak layup from Adey (set up by Ford) and a floater from Isherwood at the horn to make the score 31-16 at the break.

Waynflete then got right back in the game in the third quarter.

After Reese set up Ford for a layup and Adey fed Isherwood for a backdoor layup, a technical foul was called on Lombardo and Reese made one of two free throws to cut the deficit to just 10.

Senior Ben Altenburg momentarily restored order for the Capers, converting an old-fashioned three-point play (a putback, foul and free throw) to snap a 5:42 drought and a 9-0 Flyers’ run, but senior Safwan Hussein made a foul shot, Alsup sank a 3 from the corner, Hussein made two more free throws, then Reese added another with 1:23 left in the frame. On the play, Rickman was called for a technical foul and Adey made one of two attempts to cut the deficit to just 34-29.

Cape Elizabeth responded, as Lombardo took a pass from Tighe and made a layup, but Waynflete was very much alive heading to the fourth.

There, Kirby drove and banked home a shot, then after a short jumper from Capers senior Andrew Trachimowicz, Kirby buried a 3 with 6:42 to go and the Flyers were within four, 38-34.

Tighe then came up huge for the visitors, grabbing an offensive rebound and kicking the ball out to Van Huystee, who drained a clutch 3.

After Waynflete got two Kirby free throws, senior Heiki Kuhrt answered with a layup and with 4:57 to go, Tighe drained a 3 to seemingly ice it, making the score 46-36.

But the Flyers then embarked on one more run, as Reese scored on a reverse layup, Hussein did the same and with 2:41 left, Kirby’s leaner cut the deficit to 46-42.

Waynflete had looks to get even closer, but Adey missed a layup and Ford was off-target on a 3-.

With 52.4 seconds showing, Lombardo was fouled and he sank both ends of a one-and-one to push the lead to six.

Then, after Isherwood missed a 3, Lombardo was fouled again and with 40.8 seconds remaining, he calmly sank two more free throws.

Isherwood missed another 3, Lombardo rebounded and ran out the clock and Cape Elizabeth survived, 50-42.

“We were upset with the way we came out in the third quarter, so it was good to buckle down in the fourth quarter,” said Tighe. “It was difficult to adjust. We’re a smaller team. We just had to attack and draw fouls.”

“We held on,” Mitchell said. “It was our first road game. The first half was a carry-over from Wells. The second half, we went to sleep. We can’t afford to do that against any team this year. We did not stay composed or disciplined and a team with 12 seniors, I expect more out of us than that. Composure is something we have to work on and we’ll start on that tomorrow.”

Tighe was the game’s high scorer with 15 points. He also had six rebounds and three assists.

Lombardo added 11 points and four rebounds.

Van Huystee had seven points, Dell’Aquila six (to go with nine rebounds and three assists), Rickman four, Altenburg three and Kuhrt and Trachimowicz (five rebounds, four steals) two apiece.

The Capers had a 38-35 rebounding advantage, overcame 19 turnovers and made 6-of-7 foul shots.

Waynflete got nine points apiece from Adey (eight rebounds, four assists) and Kirby (six rebounds). Reese (four boards) added six points, Alsup and Hussein each had five and Ford (five rebounds, four assists, three steals) and Isherwood both contributed four.

The Flyers committed 15 turnovers and made just 10-of-19 free throws.

“I’m really pleased with how we battled back,” said Waynflete coach Rich Henry. “We talked at halftime and the guys executed. We lost to a good team. They’re well-coached, they pass the ball very well. It’s hard to come back on them. We got it to four, then I think one of our players thought there was a four-point shot and we took one of those.

“I love this group. I love their attitude. I love the chemistry on the team. I would have loved to have won this game, but this was a game they can hold their heads high about.”

Rivalry games

Waynflete returns to action Saturday afternoon when it hosts Old Orchard Beach.

“We’ll learn from this and we’ll play better,” Henry said. “(Old Orchard’s) a league game, a close rival. Now, we have to shift focus.”

Cape Elizabeth returns home Friday to battle York in a rematch of last year’s playoff loss.

“I love our team and our chemistry,” Tighe said. “We have 12 seniors who have played together our whole lives. We have a 24-hour mentality, so we’ll come ready to work tomorrow. We’re excited to play York. I think we match up well so we’ll see how it goes.”

“We’ve definitely circled York,” Mitchell said. “The guys will be up for that game, but we have a lot of prep to do the next few days.”

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

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