His team had scored just 16 points, turned the ball over 14 times, and didn’t get a sniff of the foul line. Even through three quarters, the Shipbuilders’ leader was not overly pleased.
But, Morse left just about everyone else with a smile on their faces after a 45-36 victory in a battle of unbeatens, giving Morse a 4-0 mark and awaiting a showdown with rival Gardiner on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“Most of the game we didn’t bring the intensity that we did against Winslow (a 65-63 overtime win on Tuesday), so we have to figure that out,” said Hayes. “We are starting to get there, though we still struggle with pressure. As the year goes on, we are getting more used to it.”
Tied 28-28 entering the fourth quarter, Morse put the pedal down as Chris Paulus grabbed an offensive rebound and went back up for two big points and a 39-34 lead with 2:27 remaining.
Medomak pushed back, getting two points from Colton Spear, who scored a game-high 12 points.
Leading 40-36, Paulus used his 6-foot-6 frame to block a Panthers shot. Jacob Freeman made a pair of free throws to restore the Shipbuilders’ six-point lead, and Ethan Winglass tacked on two more at the line before Paulus sank one of two from the stripe to complete the 45- 36 win.
“Chris has done a great job after missing the last half of last year with an injury, and the last couple games he is starting to realize how good he can be and make a difference,” said Hayes after watching the senior score 11 points, pull down 10 rebounds and block seven shots. “Teams are driving the lane and when they see him in there, they go back out. We are glad to have him on our side.”
“All they do is dribble it in and kick it out, and when they went up to the glass I was able to get in there,” said Paulus of his success in helping limit Medomak Valley to just 28 percent shooting (14 of 49) and leading Morse to a 22-15 rebounding advantage. “My freshman and sophomore years, we didn’t win one game, so this has been my best season so far here, and my teammates and I are excited to be in this position.”
Early struggles
The Shipbuilders began the game hot, making three of their first four shots for a 7-1 lead. Casey Watson drained a 3-pointer on Morse’s second possession, and Winglass hit a short jumper during the gameopening run.
Morse missed its next seven shots, while Medomak Valley (3-1) found its stride as Nick DePatsy scored four first-quarter points and Hunter Wincapaw swished a 3-pointer late in the frame for an 8-7 Panthers lead.
Trailing 11-8, a 7-0 run gave the Panthers their largest lead of the contest, 15-11. Medomak used a fullcourt press to create havoc, with Zach Starr picking up four steals by halftime.
Though Morse tallied just four points over an eightminute stretch, the Shipbuilders still managed to take a 16-15 halftime lead, as Paulus scored in the lane and Ayden Brillard hit a trey with five seconds left.
“Coach told us that we were not playing at our full ability, but we still led by one point,” said Paulus. “If we could get it together, we could win and we did. I was surprised we were winning at the half after playing so poorly.”
Morse began the third quarter strong, using an 11-5 spurt for a 27-20 advantage. Liam McDonough’s first points, a 3-pointer, finished off the run for the hosts.
Medomak Valley closed the frame with a run of its own, outscoring Morse 8-1 to send the contest to the final quarter even at 28. Starr picked up five of the eight points for the Panthers, and continued to create Morse turnovers, finishing with a game-high eight swipes.
McDonough’s second trey opened the fourth and put Morse ahead to stay, with Medomak drawing to within one point on three occasions, the last at 35-34 after Spear scored his final points after a Starr steal.
“We have had trouble finishing the last couple games, so we hunkered down and finished this one off,” said Paulus of his team’s gameclosing 10-2 run.
Winglass chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win, while McDonough dished out three assists to go along with his six points. Freeman added seven points. The Shipbuilders were 15 of 33 (45 percent) from the field and made 11 of 15 at the freethrow line, all in the second half. Morse turned the ball over 21 times while forcing the Panthers into 12 miscues.
DePatsy finished with seven points for Medomak, while Starr and Wincapaw each had five.
Morse 45,
Med. Valley 36
Saturday, at Bath Middle School
Medomak — 8 7 13 8 — 36
Morse — 7 9 12 17 — 45
Medomak — Micah Williamson 1-
2-4, Colton Spear 6-0-12, Zach
Starr 2-0-5, Zach Little 0-1-1, Nick
DePatsy 2-3-7, Hunter Wincapaw 2-
0-5, Hunter Baughman 1-0-2,
Michael Wadsworth 0-0-0. Totals
— 14-6-36.
Morse — Ethan Winglass 4-2-10,
Casey Watson 2-0-5, Liam McDonough 2-0-6, Chris Paulus 4-3-11,
Jacob Freeman 1-5-7, Juwan
Moore 1-1-3, Matthew Belanger 0-
0-0, Ayden Brillard 1-0-3. Totals —
15-11-45.
3-point field goals — (MV) Starr,
Wincapaw; (Mo) McDonough 2,
Watson, Brillard.
Records — Morse 4-0, Medomak
3-1.
Up next for Morse — Tuesday at
home against Gardiner, 7 p.m.
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