The South Portland girls’ basketball team is formidable even when it isn’t clicking on all cylinders, but when the Red Riots are doing virtually everything right, the opposition has little chance.
Maine Girls’ Academy found that out Wednesday evening in a highly anticipated, twice-postponed Class AA South showdown, as top-ranked South Portland put on a 32-minute clinic to further solidify its status as the team to beat.
The Red Riots (12-0) trailed for only nine seconds and got contributions from virtually everyone on the roster as they rolled to a 62-40 victory.
“It was a total complete game for us, which we’ve been waiting for,” said South Portland Coach Lynne Hasson. “It might be our best team effort in a couple years; certainly in 12 games.”
The Red Riots didn’t take long to show all the elements that make them so dominant. They rode early 3-pointers from Sarah Boles and Eva Mazur to take the lead, then extended it with the help of Maggie Whitmore’s dominance in the lane and on the glass, and a smothering defensive effort that forced the Lions into six turnovers.
A 10-0 run, capped by a pair of baskets from Meghan Graff and a long 3-pointer from Boles, resulted in a 27-11 lead after eight minutes.
“South Portland was amazing,” said MGA Coach Billy Goodman. “They made every shot. They played team basketball. That was probably the best quarter I’ve seen in high school basketball.”
MGA (9-2) was able to slow South Portland’s offense in the second quarter and drew as close as 13 points on a pair of free throws from Jill Joyce, but a Whitmore jumper and two putbacks from reserve Jena Leckie put South Portland firmly in command at halftime, 35-16.
The Lions again tried to rally in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 44-29, but South Portland got a jump shot from reserve Ashlee Aceto, a long jumper from Graff and a transition basket from reserve Kaleisha Towle to take a 20-point lead into fourth quarter.
“Players off the bench made a difference,” said Hasson. “We’ve got a lot of pieces to the puzzle and kids who can play.”
Despite strong play from MGA junior Catherine Reid (14 points, seven rebounds, five steals), South Portland handed the Lions their second straight loss following a nine-game winning streak to start the season.
Whitmore led all scorers with 16 points and added seven rebounds.
“We love playing here,” Whitmore said of playing at MGA in Portland. “Getting out to an early lead was great, and everything just came together.”
Boles finished nine points, Graff and Towle added eight apiece, and Mazur finished with five points against her former team while adding nine rebounds, six assists and four steals.
“It was so sentimental in the beginning,” Mazur said. “Then the game started and I focused on winning.”
With games remaining against Gorham, Portland and Cheverus, South Portland still has work to do.
“This was a lot of fun, but it’s not the state championship,” Hasson said. “Hopefully this wasn’t our best game of the year tonight.”
The Lions were hindered by 17 turnovers.
“We have to get back to basics,” Goodman said. “I have to find new ways to get through to the team.”
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