KENNEBUNK — The Brunswick High girls’ basketball team has struggled to find any consistency on offense or defense in recent weeks.
Monday afternoon, the Dragons pulled together and upended Kennebunk 41-37 to snap the Rams’ 10-game winning streak.
Brunswick took the lead early in the third quarter and then relied on a man-to-man defense that seldom allowed the Rams any open looks at the basket. Brunswick forced nine turnovers in the decisive third quarter.
“We played as a team today,” said sophomore guard Logan Brown, who led Brunswick with 20 points. “Communication was definitely a factor.”
The victory lifted Brunswick, sixth in Class A South, to 9-3, while No. 2 Kennebunk, which a week ago stopped top-ranked Greely’s 48-game winning streak, dropped to 11-3.
The Dragons held Kennebunk star junior Emily Archibald to eight points – 13 below her season average – before she fouled out with 2:09 remaining and the Rams down by six.
She was guarded for the most part by freshman Lanye Brewer, who credited her teammates, especially senior center Alexis Guptill, for providing a lot of help.
“It was pretty difficult,” said Brewer. “But I think having Lexi behind me and telling me when to front her and telling me what to do, helped me and kept pushing me harder so I could stay on her and guard her harder.”
Brunwick Coach Sam Farrell also praised Guptill, who had 10 points and nine rebounds.
“Today she stepped up as the senior, captain, leader that we needed,” Farrell said.
Brunswick never led in the first half, but a late 3-pointer by Brown tied the game at 18 after two quarters. Then Brown opened the third quarter with another 3-pointer 71 seconds in to give the Dragons the lead – for good it turned out.
Guptill followed with a transition layup and after four Kennebunk turnovers in a row, Brown hit another 3 to make it 26-18. The Rams never got any rhythm, scoring just seven points in the third quarter to fall behind 31-25.
“Just a rough day,” said Kennebunk Coach Rob Sullivan. “I thought Brunswick played exceptional but I thought we looked a little sluggish today.
“It was one of those games where things didn’t get click early and we got a little rattled. We were playing not to lose.”
Brunswick’s lead peaked at 10, 36-26, when Guptill scored inside with 5:44 remaining. Kennebunk ran off six straight points, four by Emily Hogue (17 points), to pull within four.
But then the Rams committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions.
Brown, hit a 12-foot floater over Archibald with 3:12 remaining to regain the momentum for the Dragons.
Farrell called Brown’s basket “a huge play. There’s not a lot of kids who will take that, let alone make that.”
Now Farrell hopes the Dragons can keep this momentum going.
“It’s a good momentum-builder in terms of playing as a team,” he said. “Everybody did their job.”
Kennebunk is off until next Tuesday, something Sullivan said is needed after playing eight games in 18 days.
“We could use it,” he said. “Good time to regroup.”
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