OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Junior forward Delaney O’Brien scored 17 points while leading Wells to a 38-25 win over Old Orchard Beach in a girls’ basketball game on Saturday.

O’Brien scored 11 of her 17 points in the first half and battled on the boards against a taller frontcourt to grab five rebounds (three offensive).

“Honestly, most of my points were a girl on my team would drive and pick up the (defense) then just handing it off to me. Yeah, I had those 17 points but it’s my teammates,” said O’Brien.

The starting frontcourt for the Seagulls (Meghan LaPlante and Maggie Strohm) was held to a combined six points.

“Laney O’Brien stepped up huge with our regular starting center being out,” said Wells Coach Don Abbott.

“I thought she really battled and picked her spots. She did as good of a job defensively on their big girls as she did offensively. It was a good all-around game for her.”

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O’Brien has been getting more playing time because of the absence of starting center Megan Schneider. The Warriors hope to have Schneider (knee) back soon.

“When someone is out, you have to step up and take that position. When our 6-foot girl went out, that was just my call,” said O’Brien.

Old Orchard Beach (4-1) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter when Emily Greenlee made a bucket followed by a three-point play. Greenlee finished with a team-high six points.

Wells (3-3) did not score its first points until the 4:46 mark on a basket by Franny Ramsdell.

That sparked a 13-0 run by the Warriors that lasted until early in the second quarter, when Shani Plante hit a 3 for Old Orchard Beach.

“We just tried to be steady and just impose (our) will as the game went on,” said Abbott.

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Old Orchard Beach committed 11 of its 25 turnovers in the first quarter, allowing Wells to come back quickly to take the lead.

“We had a lineup out there that we could press with so we tried to force the issue a little bit,” said Abbott.

The Warriors took a 19-12 lead into halftime.

Despite a height disadvantage, Wells outrebounded the Seagulls 19-5 on the offensive glass.

Old Orchard was able to cut its deficit to six midway through the third quarter when LaPlante converted near the hoop to make the score 24-18.

“Double-digit loss but it felt like if we could just get over that hump,” said Old Orchard Beach Coach Dean Plante. “We got it to (six) but we missed a couple open layups and missed a couple free throws.”

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That was a close as the Seagulls got in the second half. Wells was able to respond with a layup by O’Brien seconds later.

The Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a 31-19 advantage and were able to cruise the rest of the way.

Both teams struggled from the free-throw line.

Wells made just seven of its 15 attempts while Old Orchard Beach split its 14 shots. Neither team attempted a free throw in the second quarter.

“We didn’t shoot well from the free throw line. That would’ve kept us in it,” said Plante.

Old Orchard Beach had four players score at least five points: Greenlee, LaPlante (five), Kaitlyn Cote (five), and Shani Plante (five).

“We need to recommit and be ready Tuesday when we start again,” said Plante.

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