CAPE ELIZABETH — It wasn’t the best shooting night for Cape Elizabeth sophomore Finn Bowe.

At least not until the outcome hung in the balance.

With four seconds remaining and his team having let a double-digit fourth-quarter lead slip through its fingers Friday night, Bowe let fly from the top of the key. His 3-pointer swished through the net to give the Capers a 52-51 Class A South boys’ basketball victory over Kennebunk.

“Coach keeps confidence in me, tells me to keep shooting, so I know to never hesitate,” Bowe said. “I can’t be scared to shoot just because it wasn’t falling at the start of the game.”

Bowe finished with 17 points for the Capers (9-3), who trailed by as many as six in the first half before taking control in the third quarter.

Kennebunk senior Zachary MacKinnon led all scorers with 21 points. That included four 3-pointers, none bigger than his shot from the left wing with 28 seconds remaining to cap a 12-0 run and give the Rams (7-5) a 51-49 lead after they had trailed by 10 early in the fourth quarter.

“They were the state champions in Class B last year and we stuck with them the whole game,” MacKinnon said. “So we know it’s a bright road ahead of us.”

After calling time with three seconds left, the Rams attempted a long inbounds pass to MacKinnon, but it sailed long for a turnover that allowed Cape Elizabeth to escape with its ninth victory in 10 games.

“To go on the road against Cape, who’s a top team in the league, and bring them to the wire and to really have a chance to win, that’s where we’re starting to build confidence,” said Kennebunk Coach Barrett Belanger. “Win or lose, that’s a confidence game for us.”

Kennebunk scored more than half its points on long-distance shooting. Justin Wiggins, a junior, and Cam Lovejoy (14 points), a freshman point guard, each hit two 3-pointers, and Dustin Ewy added one.

Lovejoy’s second 3-pointer came with just over four minutes remaining and cut Cape Elizabeth’s lead to 49-46. He converted an offensive rebound with two minutes left to make it 49-48.

A Marcus Donnelly steal and lay-in put Cape ahead 29-28 early in the third quarter, and a Justin Guerette follow made it 42-34 late in the third.

“Justin Guerette was tremendous,” Cape Coach Jim Ray said. “He had 15 rebounds and (drew) two charges. He did the tough-guy stuff for us.”

A five-minute drought in the fourth quarter forced the Capers to come up with a clutch shot. They nearly lost possession before setting up Bowe for the open 20-footer.

“We ran a play to try to tie the game, and the ball got tipped away from me,” said Bowe. “Luckily, Quinn (Hewitt) saved it. Then we went into a different set and I got a clean look.”

Bowe’s 3-pointer from the top of the key in last year’s state final game that ignited a 7-0 run in the final minute to beat Medomak Valley at the buzzer.

Friday’s victory will “definitely help prepare us for playoffs,” Bowe said. “You’ve got to have some practice in close games to know how to manage your feelings and stay composed. But we’ll be looking to not make so many games that close.”

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