Although they hit a few bumps, the Greely High Rangers continued their roll Friday night, toppling Fryeburg Academy 68-53 in a Class A South boys’ basketball quarterfinal at the Portland Expo.

Top-seeded Greely (19-0) saw its 14-point halftime lead whittled to two after the third quarter.

But then the Rangers got their running game going and sealed the win.

Zach Brown paced Greely with 17 points. Jack Kane added 16, with six rebounds and three blocks. Logan Bagshaw scored 14. Andrew Storey added 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Shane DeWolfe scored eight.

Greely’s Luke Miller tries a jump shot as Fryeburg’s Joe LeBrun defends. Greely won its 41st straight.

Oscar Saunders helped keep Fryeburg in the game, scoring 17. Joe LeBrun added 10 and Nathan Knapp hit three 3-pointers for nine points.

Greely advanced to the South semifinals Wednesday night at the Cross Insurance Arena, against No. 4 Falmouth, a double-overtime 62-56 winner over York Friday night.

The Rangers’ win streak over two seasons, is 41 as the defending state champions vie for back-to-back unbeaten seasons.

Greely had faced Fryeburg (9-11) twice this season and, while the Rangers romped in a 19-point win last week, the Raiders played Greely close (49-41) last month.

“They’re tough and they’re scrappy,” Greely Coach Travis Seaver said.

Greely’s Jack Kane makes his first of several dunks against Fryeburg. Kane finished with 16 points.

On Friday, Greely’s tight defense and explosive offense was evident early. Kane, an agile 6-foot-8 center, scored a fast-break dunk, finishing a 7-0 run to start the game.

“They’re a tough matchup,” Fryeburg Coach Sedge Saunders said. “You drop down on the big guy (Kane) and they got some shooters who can burn you.”

Brown popped in three 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Rangers took an 18-7 lead. Fryeburg scored only one field goal in the quarter – a Knapp 3-pointer.

In the second quarter, Bagshaw had the hot hand with four 3-pointers.

The Raiders finally managed some offense with LeBrun hitting from the outside, but still trailed at halftime, 36-22.

“Defensively, we did OK,” Saunders said. “Obviously, we were at a little height disadvantage. But our guys play bigger than they are.

“(Offensively), we got good looks in the first half and they didn’t fall. They started to drop in the third quarter.”

Fryeburg came out firing in the second half. Oscar Saunders hit an outside jumper and then a 3-pointer. Greely was missing shots and making turnovers. The Raiders kept coming. Ryan Hewes’ 3-pointer closed it to 43-41 at the end of the quarter.

Greely’s Shane DeWolfe takes a shot against Fryeburg.

“They shot really well,” Seaver said. “Defensively, we had lapses. We got beat off the dribble, something that hasn’t been a problem for us most of the year.”

The huddle talk before the fourth quarter was defense.

“We had to step up as defenders,” Kane said.

They did. Kane anticipated and made two steals, leading to fast breaks. The Rangers were playing defense, passing better and finishing their shots. They began the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run and kept going.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @KevinThomasPPH

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