Brunswick’s Lexi Guptill (center) is sandwiched by Falmouth’s Cameron Birks (left) and Olivia Rogers. Brunswick held off a pesky Yachtsmen squad, 56-52, to improve to 5-0. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
BRUNSWICK — Brunswick High School girls basketball coach Sam Farrell knows his team lacks the varsity experience that some of his recent teams have possessed and realizes his Dragons will make mistakes out on the court. He also knows the work they put in during practice to get better and the confidence some of his young shooters have.
Sophomore Morgan Foster hit an 8-foot jumper with 12 seconds remaining to break a 52-52 tie as the Dragons held off a young and determined Falmouth squad for a 56-52 victory in Class A South basketball action on Thursday.
Foster scored 16 of her career-high 19 points in the second half, including five baskets from behind the arc to help pace the Dragons. Senior captain Lexi Guptill registered a game-high 22 points while hauling down 12 rebounds as the Dragons improved to 5-0 on the season.
“She has really worked on her fundamentals of the shot and I think she came in confident and looking for it,” Farrell said. “If you take a shot with 12 seconds left in a tie game, it better go in, and she knew it was going in.”
“It’s just a lot of confidence,” Foster said about her second-half scoring spree. “All of our teammates and coaches all talk each other up, bringing our confidence up. Being a sophomore, maybe your confidence isn’t as high, but coaches and players are all one and we all talk and bring each other up.”
Falmouth was led by Sloane Ginevan’s 20 points, followed by Anna Turgeon’s nine and Cameron Birks’ eight. Allie Cunningham chipped in with seven points as the Yachtsmen dropped to 5-2.
After three quarter of action, the Dragons held their biggest lead of the game to that point, 36-29. Foster was 3-for-3 from 3-point land in the third and to start the fourth, Guptill stepped behind the arc and drained a three to push the lead to 10.
The Yachtsmen were not going to go away quietly and fueled by a trio of Brunswick turnovers, Falmouth scored 10 of the next 12 points to pull within two, 41-39 midway through the frame. Ginevan led the visitors with 10 fourth-quarter points while garnering a pair of steals during the run.
“We’re living with freshmen and sophomores out there, so we’re going to make mistakes. They key is learn from it,” Farrell said. “Falmouth is a good team, they hustle and they go after it.”
“Our focus this year is what we like to call E.F.A. — effort, focus and attitude. The things that we can control, the things that don’t require talent. That’s what we’ve been pushing, give 100% as far as you can go all the time,” Falmouth coach Dawn Amandi said.
The Yachtsmen continued to climb back, but Brunswick continued to answer. After another Foster three and a Guptill free throw, Brunswick extended its lead to 48-45 with two minutes remaining.
Falmouth fought back. A Ginevan hoop and a pair of free throws gave Falmouth the lead, 49-48, with less than two minutes to go. The freshman followed with her fourth steal of the game followed by another layup for a 51-48 Falmouth lead.
“We play off Sloane’s momentum a lot of times, but we have other girls right behind her. Allie is aggressive, Cameron is aggressive and Anna, all of them,” Amandi said. “Sloane has been a breath of fresh air. She’s a good player, but she works hard every day. Her 110% effort is making everyone else work 110%.”
Brunswick’s Kendahl Dow (center) looks up the court after grabbing a defensive rebound over Falmouth’s Lauren Welch as Brunswick’s Morgan Foster (right) looks on. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
While the turnovers frustrated Farrell, he understands the growing pains his team will endure at times, but also sees how the team is coming together.
“We only have two kids out there with any varsity experience from last year. So to have Hannah (Fortier), Mackenzie (Dorr) and Kelsey (Sullivan) come off the bench, along with Lanye (Brewer), and those who weren’t playing were cheering, it was great,” Farrell said. “They pull for each other all of the time. Our practices are awesome and you see it out there on the court. They don’t get on each other for making a mistake. They will for not going after a rebound, but a mistake they don’t.”
Down by three, Guptill turned hard to the hoop, and much like what she had done throughout the game, forced her way through the paint to the basket for two more points.
“Lexi is that kid since her freshman year that her teammates just love. She’s one of the hardest workers out there,” Farrell said. “She can get yelled at by me and doesn’t flinch. She missed a bunch of bunnies early but she turned it around. And defensively, she was there on top of it. She had some big rebounds late for us. There were some late in the game that I didn’t think she was there then all of a sudden there was number 44. Her teammates love her not because just how good she is, but how she works her tail off.”
Logan Brown followed with a pair of free throws, and after a Falmouth turnover, Ginevan committed her fifth foul of the contest, fouling out with 53 seconds remaining. Brewer tied the contest (52-52) after making one of two free throws.
Falmouth was unable to convert on its offensive end of the court, setting up Brunswick for Foster’s heroics.
“I don’t remember the time exactly. I was open, I looked and shot it,” Foster simply said.
Brunswick’s Logan Brown (25) drives around a trio of Falmouth defenders during the first half of Thursday’s Class A South girls high school basketball game in Brunswick. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
Farrell had nothing but praise for his young, yet disciplined sophomore.
“Defensively, she was guarding their best player and if you can lead us in defense and lead us in offense, that’s a great night, and that’s tough for a 15-year old,” Farrell added.
For Falmouth, a team with no seniors that has four freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors, the hustle and grit the Yachtsmen put in did not go unnoticed by its coach.
“Tonight’s effort was great, they got after it and didn’t give up. That’s the thing I love about this team, they’re fighters,” Amandi said.
Following Foster’s bucket, Brunswick’s defense was air tight, denying Falmouth a chance to inbound the ball with five-and-a-half second left, resulting in a five-second violation and a Falmouth turnover.
Guptill sealed the game with two free throws with two ticks on the clock.
After Foster and Guptill, Logan Brown followed with eight points. Sullivan also added eight rebounds in the win.
Brunswick’s Kelsey Sullivan attempts to go up for a layup after grabbing an offensive rebound in front of Falmouth’s Lauren Welch. Brunswick defeated the visiting Yachtsmen, 56-52, to improve to 5-0. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
Brunswick hits the hardwood next on Tuesday when the Dragons travel to Freeport for a 7 p.m. game against the Class B Falcons.
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