YARMOUTH — It’s no fluke that Medomak Valley is leading the Class B South Heal point standings.
That’s because the Panthers are up for any challenge and are never out of a game.
Saturday afternoon at Stroud Gymnasium, Medomak Valley took on a Yarmouth squad desperate for a victory after consecutive overtime defeats. It appeared the Clippers were finally going to break through when they erased a 14-point first-half deficit and led by nine with under two minutes to go.
But the Panthers scored the final nine points of regulation and eventually got a tiebreaking 3-pointer from Kristian Schumann to beat Yarmouth in double overtime, 63-58.
Kory Donlin, who tied the score late in the fourth quarter with two foul shots, led the way with 24 points. Gabe Lash, whose driving layup just before the horn forced a second overtime, added 16 points to help Medomak Valley improve to 6-1.
“It was an amazing game,” said Donlin, who also grabbed 10 rebounds. “It was crazy how we came back like that. We just didn’t give up and it worked out in our favor. It means a lot because Yarmouth is a very good team and these points will help a lot in the long run.”
Yarmouth also let leads slip away in overtime losses to Freeport and Falmouth over the past week. The Clippers had the ball with a chance to win in both the fourth quarter and the first overtime, but couldn’t convert as they fell to 1-5.
“We’re close,” said Yarmouth Coach Ilunga Mutombo. “Tonight would have been a good way to start it, but it’s another loss and another lesson. The boys just have to keep fighting and figure out a way to get over that hump of closing a game.”
Donlin scored 15 points in the first half, and the Panthers built a 27-13 lead. But Yarmouth scored the final nine points of the half to gain momentum before taking their first lead, 37-36, on a 3-pointer from Bobby Wolff in the third quarter.
Late in the fourth, Yarmouth got a layup from Jack Janczuk (14 points) and consecutive layups from point guard Matt Gautreau (13 points) to make it 50-41. But Schumann scored on a leaner, Lash drained a 3, then Mason Nguyen scored on a layup after a steal. Another Yarmouth turnover set up Donlin’s tying free throws.
After Janczuk made a go-ahead basket in overtime, Colter Olson, Yarmouth’s Air Force Academy-bound lacrosse standout, sank a free throw for a two-point lead. Lash then drove and laid the ball in to force an additional four minutes before Medomak Valley put it away in the second extra session.
“It’s a good win, especially to do this on the road,” said Panthers Coach Nick DePatsy, who got his 400th career win on Thursday. “It’s all the guys. We’re still very young, but I’m so impressed with our mental toughness.”
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