There are those who think that Massabesic High might have the most talented team in the Class AA South boys’ basketball tournament.

But first-year coach Chris Binette was quite pleased to see his Mustangs in the No. 3 spot for the playoffs. That meant they were going to start the tournament sooner, rather than later.

And the Mustangs came through Thursday night, pushing back sixth-ranked Scarborough 67-52 in the AA South quarterfinals at the Portland Expo. Massabesic, in the playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 season, led by 17 at one point before finally pulling away from the gritty Red Storm in the fourth quarter.

Binette said it was the school’s first playoff victory at the Expo.

“I liked our third seed because we got an extra game,” said Binette. “It’s a long layoff for the first and second seed (who each get a bye). This is helpful. It’s the first game of the playoffs, it’s the first game of us winning a game in the playoffs. Those are all good things.”

Massabesic (15-4) will play second-ranked Gorham in the regional semifinals next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Arena. Scarborough, which lost to Massabesic by 42 points in the regular season, finished 6-13.

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“I thought we played hard, we executed the game plan exactly like we wanted to,” said Scarborough Coach Tony DiBiase. “We showed a lot of courage hanging in there. The kids didn’t back down. I’m proud of the way we played.”

But Massabesic was able to go on its patented runs whenever the Red Storm got close. The Mustangs forced 24 Scarborough turnovers, many off full-court or perimeter pressure, often leading to easy baskets.

“As the game wears on, especially on a big floor, it’s going to work to our advantage,” said Binette.

It was 16-14 after one quarter. But Scarborough had a 7:25 scoring drought that enabled the Mustangs to open a 30-14 lead. The Red Storm, though, got the final seven points of the second quarter – five by Nick DiScatio – to pull within 30-21.

Then the Mustangs went up by 17 in the third quarter on a long 3-pointer by Dan Amabile with 4:55 left. Scarborough again fought back, first pulling within 10 by the end of the quarter as Emmett Peoples scored nine of his 19 points, and then within eight, 50-42, on a Jacob Gardner basket 11 seconds into the fourth.

Massabesic then went on another run as Tyus Sprague-Ripley scored on a three-point play and then a dunk, and Amabile on a layup off a fast break to re-establish a 15-point margin.

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The Red Storm would get no closer than 10.

“We’re definitely a run-happy team,” said Massabesic senior guard Ryan Gullikson. “We just want to keep moving up and down the floor.”

And, he added, they thrive off the coaching of Binette.

“He just gives us so much confidence,” he said. “He tells us that we’re the best and now go play like you’re the best.

“Play like you can and we’ll be all set.”

Sprague-Ripley led the Mustangs with 21 points – seven in the final quarter – and seven rebounds, while making five steals. Gullikson scored 16 points, also with five steals, and Weston Bergeron scored 13, eight coming in the third quarter.

Andrew Porada added 10 points for Scarborough.


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