FREEPORT

The Freeport High School Unified basketball team is brand new, but it sure doesn’t look like it.

Out of a timeout with the score tied in the final minute of Friday’s game against Brunswick, Falcons’ guard Kenny Brewer-Brazze took control at the top of key. He dribbled right, rose up toward the hoop and lofted the ball straight through the net to put Freeport ahead.

A defensive stop on the other end preserved a 36-34 win, but Freeport coach Bill Ridge, who teaches middle school special education, is just happy to be there.

“A lot of these guys, I actually had as students,” Ridge said. “So it’s been awesome to be with them and work with them in a different way. The first two games have been awesome. We’ve won both of them, which is fun.”

The game-winning shot was one of multiple highlights in Friday’s game, many of which involved Brunswick (0-1). When Brewer-Brazze (nine points) wasn’t scoring or passing for Freeport (2-0), he was handing the ball off to Dragons’ players to give them a shot at scoring.

In one sequence in the second half, while most of the players were heading down the floor, Brewer-Brazze stayed behind with teammate Liam Holt to catch rebounds and hand the ball off to Brunswick’s Tim Humphrey.

“Honestly, you saw today, both teams help each other out and everyone’s getting a good experience out of it,” Ridge said. “Actually, that was an even bigger crowd than the first game. That was awesome.”

The home crowd also erupted when Leo Li sunk a 3-pointer and high-fived teammates in the first half.

In the paint, Freeport’s Isaac Porter stole the show, finishing with a game-high 18 points and 15 rebounds. Wei Zahng hit a pair of shots and Anthony Bookataud dished out two assists.

“It’s fun and it’s pretty awesome to play with some fellow friends,” Porter said. “It went great.”

“Freeport’s got really nice balance,” Brunswick coach Chris Baribeau said. “Good ball-handling, couple kids with good size. It’s great to see more local schools join.”

The Falcons are now one of 47 Unified basketball programs in Maine and as Ridge will tell you, coaching is just as important as regular basketball.

“It’s a different kind of coaching,” he said. “I’m not coaching basketball during this. All we’re teaching is teamwork and how to go out with a group of people and have fun.”

Brunswick

Down 24-14 at halftime, the Dragons stormed all the way back to get within two at the four-minute mark and then tie the score at 34 inside the final minute. Much of the scoring came inside from Andrew DuRoss, who notched a team-best 10 points.

Humphrey hit two buckets and Romil Peck-Moad scored six, including a buzzer-beater at the end of the first half. This season, though, the scoring will often be dispersed for Brunswick. Twenty different players made it onto the floor on Friday and Baribeau said that will be the norm. The trick is getting everyone equal time.

“That’s always a challenge,” Baribeau said. “But we play equal playing time regardless. This is our third year with the program and we had 36 come out — but we only have 20 uniforms. We’ve come up with a rotation to make sure everyone gets at least four games and just have fun.”

Because of those high numbers, the Dragons have opted not to compete in the postseason tournament this season. Instead, the Maine Principals Association has allowed them to field as many players as they choose.

In Unified basketball, the goals are much simpler than making a postseason run.

“We told them at the start of the game, we want to have everyone smile until they get back on the bus,” Baribeau said.

“Just keep having fun,” Ridge said.. “I’d like to see the stands even more packed. Get more people here, get more word out would be awesome.”

Freeport 36,
Brunswick 34

Unified basketball
Friday, at Freeport High School
Brunswick — 14 20 — 34
Freeport — 24 12 — 36
Brunswick — Ketty Stinson 0-0-0,
Brycen Cardeli 0-0-0, Stephen Backman 0-0-0, Tim Humphrey 2-0-4,
Nicole Pelletier 0-0-0, John Johnson
0-0-0, Romil Peck Moad 3-0-6, Margaret Dickinson 0-0-0, Andrew
DuRoss 5-0-10, Aaron Carlton 1-0-2,
Amy Jennings 2-0-4, Lukas Umbryaco 1-0-2, Luk Shnots 0-0-0, Emmet
Taub 0-0-0, Cayman Almondovar 1-0-
2, Nathaniel Hall 2-0-4, Colleen McKearney 0-0-0, Carlyle Boyle 0-0-0,
Jack Parker 0-0-0. Totals — 17-0-34.
Freeport — Leo Li 1-0-3, Kenny
Brewer-Brazee 4-0-9, Adam Leavitt 0-
0-0, Anthony Bookataud 0-0-0, Isaac
Porter 9-0-18, TJ Farrington 1-0-2,
Wei Zahng 2-0-4, Austin Langley 0-0-
0, Spencer Morse 0-0-0, Liam Holt 0-
0-0, Abby Arruda 0-0-0, Elizabeth
Soule 0-0-0, Tre Morris 0-0-0. Totals
— 17-0-36.
3-point field goals — (F) Li, Brewer-
Brazee.
Records — Freeport 2-0, Brunswick
0-1.
Up next for the Falcons — Today at
home against Edward Little, 3:30
p.m.
Up next for the Dragons — Today at
home against Deering/Portland, 3:30
p.m.