FALMOUTH — Through five games, Falmouth has shown it can hit the 3-pointer, pound the ball inside and play strong defense.

The Yachtsmen had two of those skills working Tuesday against Yarmouth in a battle of unbeatens.

Falmouth used a fourth-quarter spurt to claim a 46-42 win over the Clippers in Western Maine Class B action.

Falmouth (5-0) broke a 31-31 tie after three quarters with accuracy from beyond the arc. The Yachtsmen made three straight 3-pointers that highlighted a 13-5 run.

Chris Knaub of Yarmouth (4-1) hit a couple of late 3s to make it a four-point game.

Defensively, the Yachtsmen held Yarmouth standout Josh Britten to just one point in the second half and 11 for the game.

“We were just hoping to control him,” said Falmouth Coach Dave Halligan. “It was all five guys working together on defense.”

At the start of the fourth, Jack Cooleen scored to give Falmouth a 33-31 lead. Britten made a free throw before Matt Kingry of Falmouth hit a 3 from the corner.

Matt Packard of the Yachtsmen made a 3-pointer from the side between baskets by Nathan Shields-Auble of the Clippers. Packard followed with another 3 before Cooleen scored inside to make it 44-36 with 2:15 left.

“Everyone can shoot the 3,” said Kingry. “It just depends on who’s feeling it.”

Before the game, Halligan was concerned with the matchup against Yarmouth. “It’s always a tough game with them because they can play a zone and they can trap you,” he said.

That proved the case as the Clippers came out determined and carried the action in the early going. Britten scored on a layup off the opening tap and followed with another basket off a teammate’s steal. The Clippers led 14-5 at one point only to have Falmouth score the last seven points of the quarter and the first six of the second. The Clippers led by two after one and by one (25-24) at the break.

Falmouth’s defense tightened in the second half.

“Falmouth made their run in the second half count,” said Yarmouth Coach Adam Smith.

“We were on our heels. They were running two guys at Josh on defense.”

Shields-Auble, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, led the Clippers with 16 points.

Packard made four 3-pointers and led Falmouth with 14 points. Cooleen added 10.

Tom Wilberg gave the Yachtsmen a boost in his first game of the season after recovering from a knee injury.

After a missing the tournament last season, the Yachtsmen are well on their way to returning this year.

“This win gives us confidence that we can play with anyone,” said Kingry.

“We have eight seniors who experienced winning the state championship two seasons ago. We know what it takes to win.”

 

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at: tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH