BRUNSWICK’S ALEX VIOLA (11, top photo) provides a big obstacle against Lawrence’s Keith Cresley (34) during a boys high school KVAC basketball game in Brunswick on Tuesday. In the bottom photo, Dragons guard Mitch Black (10), who scored a game-high 22 points, looks for room while being guarded by Matt Saunders (20). Black’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer tied the game, and the Dragons outscored the Bulldogs 6-4 in overtime for a 56-54 victory to improve to 9-4.
BOB CONN / THE TIMES RECORD
Tuesday’s big 56- 54 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference overtime victory over Lawrence was big in numerous ways.
And, the Dragons literally bled for this win.
Both Konnor Scarponi and Mitch Black had to leave the game with wounds in need of repairs, and both returned to play pivotal roles in the vistory, one that leaves Brunswick and Lawrence with 9- 4 records in the tight Eastern Maine Class A standings.
Black’s desperation rainbow shot as the buzzer sounded in regulation tied the game at 50.
In overtime, the Brunswick standout, who scored a gamehigh 22 points, tumbled over Lawrence forward Keith Chesley and fell hard to the unforgiving court. Black grabbed his arm in obvious pain, and left the game with his team trailing 54-52.
But, Ryan Black made a free throw and teammate Garrett Erb drained a pair to give the Dragons the lead for good, with Mitch Black returning and making a foul shot (Lawrence was called for an intentional foul) with 12 seconds remaining for the final margin.
The Bulldogs had one last possession, but Ryan Black tipped the ball away, with Lawrence failing to get a shot off as the final horn sounded.
“This is a signature win for us, and we told the kids at halftime our motto is ‘the best team might not win, but the toughest team is going to,’ and I thought Lawrence was tougher than us for three quarters, with our guys getting tough and rebounding in the fourth quarter,” said Brunswick coach Todd Hanson. “ I’m not sure the last two, three, four years we would have been able to grind this one out. It is a testament to our kids.”
Offensive boards
The first half featured a Lawrence team dominant on the boards, especially in the offensive end, where the Bulldogs held a large 9-2 advantage and an overall 19-11 edge. More importantly for the visitors, Lawrence led 31-27 at the break.
“Our goal at halftime was limiting their shots and not waiting for the rebounds,” said Hanson. “That is a good team, and they don’t make mistakes. Defensively, we adjusted a little bit and just played better.”
Mitch Black, who had 12 points at the break, scored to begin the second half, with the Dragons running off six straight points for a 33- 31 lead. But, Lawrence bounced back, finishing the third quarter on a 5-2 run for a 36-35 lead through 24 minutes, and the Bulldogs quickly extended their lead to 47-41 midway through the final frame.
Down 49-43 with 53 seconds remaining, Mitch Black hit a short jumper, and after a Lawrence free throw, Erb found Trent Anderson unmarked under the basket for two points to bring Brunswick to 50-47 with 30 seconds remaining.
Lawrence had a chance to ice it at the foul line, but the Bulldogs, who were four of nine in the fourth quarter and just 10 for 21 in the game, came up empty to set up Mitch Black’s heroics.
Coming out of a timeout, Brunswick looked for an opening, but the Lawrence defense allowed nothing as the clock ticked toward zero. Mitch Black launched a blind shot toward the cylinder, with his moon shot settling softly through the twine to tie the game, 50-50.
“Everything kind of broke down, and it was really a heave up there, but I felt like as soon as I let it go it was going to go in,” said the senior, whose Dragons had lost twice earlier this season to Lawrence (59-53 at Fairfield Dec. 13 and 60-53 in the Capital City Classic during the holidays). “It was lucky, but we’ll take it. They were second in the Heal Points, so this is a big win.”
“I went through three jerseys, and Mitch took a hard fall,” said Scarponi, who had the trainer trying to seal up a wound to the guard’s back.
Scarponi gave the Dragons a 52-50 lead in the first minute of overtime.
Spencer Carey and Chesley answered for Lawrence for a 54-52 Bulldogs advantage, but two more free throws allowed Brunswick to stay in it, with Erb coolly stepping to the line and draining two freebies for the lead with 58 ticks left.
“ This is a good win, and these are the points we will need to get a higher seed,” said Scarponi, who had six points and six rebounds.
Erb finished with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals, while Mitch Black dished our four assists and had five steals. Brunswick, which visits Edward Little on Friday, shot 50 percent (21 of 42) from the floor and finished eight of 14 from the line.
Chesley paced Lawrence with a double- double ( 15 points, 10 rebounds), while Tim Dudley added 12 points, Alex Leather nine and Carey seven.
The Bulldogs were 21 of 55 (38 percent) from the field.
Brunswick 56, Lawrence 54, OT
At Brunswick High School
Lawrence — 12 19 5 14 4 — 54
Brunswick — 13 14 8 15 6 — 56
Lawrence — Emmitt Faulkner 1-2-5, Tim
Dudley 6- 0- 12, Alex Leather 3- 2- 9,
Spencer Carey 3-1-7, Keith Chesley 5-5-
15, Shaun Carroll 2-0-4, Steele Savage 0-
0-0, Nick Noiles 1-0-2, Mason Travers 0-
0-0, Matt Saunders 0-0-0. Totals — 21-
10-54.
Brunswick — Brad Smith 2-1-5, Konnor
Scarponi 3-0-6, Trent Anderson 3-0-6,
Garrett Erb 3-2-10, Mitch Black 9-1-22,
Jibreel Garrett 0-0-0, Ryan Black 1-2-5,
Alex Viola 0-2-2. Totals — 21-8-56.
3- point field goals — ( L) Faulkner,
Leather; (B) Erb 2, M. Black, R. Black.
Records — Brunswick 9-4, Lawrence 9-4.
Next for the Dragons — At Edward Little
on Friday, 7 p.m.
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