Sharp-shooting Greely girls defeat York on Senior Night

Greely senior Brooke Obar, second from left, joined by junior teammate and sister Mollie Obar and her parents, is honored in a pre-game ceremony. Courtesy Carolyn Clement.

Greely senior Katie Fitzpatrick, joined by her family, is honored in a pre-game ceremony. Courtesy Carolyn Clement

BOX SCORE

Greely 73 York 54

Y- 14 9 13 18- 54
G- 24 21 16 12- 73

Y- Howe 12-0-28, Giacobba 4-0-8, Rainforth 3-0-8, C. Pavuk 2-0-4, R. Pavuk 2-0-4, Feugill 1-0-2

G- B. Obar 10-0-24, Clement 6-2-17, M. Obar 5-0-13, Fitzpatrick 4-1-10, Graiver 1-2-4, Ippolito 1-0-3, Delisle 1-0-2

3-pointers:
Y (6) Howe 4, Rainforth 2
G (12) B. Obar 4, Clement, M. Obar 3, Fitzpatrick, Ippolito 1

Turnovers:
Y- 11
G- 16

FTs
Y: 0-1
G: 5-7

CUMBERLAND—Katie Fitzpatrick and Brooke Obar were bound and determined to make the most of their final home game Tuesday evening when Greely’s two-time defending Class A state champion girls’ basketball team hosted York in a late-season showdown.

And as it turned out, the rest of the Rangers were primed to shine as well in what proved to be a dazzling shooting display.

Obar made a 3-pointer just 15 seconds in to put Greely ahead to stay and by the end of the first period, the Rangers would hit five 3s and hold a 24-14 lead.

While Wildcats’ senior standout Nina Howe did all she could to keep her team in it, Greely simply wouldn’t denied, riding a 15-2 second period run to a commanding 45-22 advantage at the half.

York wasn’t able to make a run in the second half, as the Rangers led by as much as 30 points in the third quarter before taking a 61-35 advantage to the fourth before cruising to a 73-54 victory.

Greely put four players in double figures, including Fitzpatrick and Obar, as it improved to 16-1 on the season and in the process, dropped the Wildcats to 11-6.

“That’s the first time we’ve shot well in a long time, which was good to see,” said Rangers’ coach Todd Flaherty. “We always want to shoot well, but that was probably above and beyond.”

Legacy

Obar played four years of varsity basketball for the Rangers, while Fitzpatrick came to Greely as a junior after the erstwhile Maine Girls’ Academy closed. Fitzpatrick entered play Tuesday having lost just one game as a Ranger, while Obar’s record was 76-5.

After an unbeaten season in 2018-19, this year’s group of Rangers has been nearly perfect as well.

Greely opened with wins over host York (70-53), visiting Falmouth (79-41) and visiting Fryeburg Academy (75-37). After eking out a 48-47 victory at Class AA South powerhouse South Portland, the Rangers won at Freeport (58-45) and Yarmouth (65-56), then handled visiting Freeport, 72-44. After going to the wire to hold off visiting Oxford Hills, the defending Class AA champion (62-61), Greely won at defending Class B champion Gray-New Gloucester (54-40) and at home over Wells (69-34) before its three-year, 48-game win streak came to a close Jan. 14 at Kennebunk (49-45).

In retrospect, the Rangers say that defeat was a blessing in disguise.

“Everything good came out of it,” Obar said. “It ruined our (win) streak, but it taught us a lot. It taught us to not go in thinking we’re just going to win, but to take every team seriously.”

“We went down there to win and they beat us, but looking back, it was a sense of relief for me and I think for the girls too,” Flaherty said.

Greely returned to form with home wins over Poland (67-35) and Cape Elizabeth (57-45), victories at Wells (61-50) and Lake Region (63-45) and at home over Gray-New Gloucester (46-42).

York, a perennial contender, lost its first three games, at home to Greely, at Kennebunk and at home to Gray-New Gloucester, but had won 11 of 13 since, losing only at Marshwood and at home to Freeport.

In the first meeting this winter, in the regular season opener Dec. 6 in York, Fitzpatrick and Obar each had 16 points and junior Camille Clement led the way with 18. The Wildcats were paced by Howe’s 18 points.

Tuesday, after Fitzpatrick and Obar and their families were honored in a pregame Senior Night ceremony, York sought its first win over the Rangers since the 2016 Class A South Final (66-56), but instead, Greely made it eight straight in the series.

Fitzpatrick won the opening tip and 15 seconds in, Obar set the tone, as she took a pass from sophomore Chelsea Graiver and drained a 3-pointer to put the Rangers ahead for good.

“It was a big shot,” said Obar. “Especially for me to get my confidence up a little. Seeing that first shot go in got everyone ready to play.”

Fitzpatrick then had her moment, scoring on a putback while being fouled and adding the free throw for the old-fashioned three point play.

Obar then sank another 3 and less than two minutes in, Greely was in control, up, 9-0.

“I think we’ve had a couple off-games with shooting, but tonight it clicked,” said Fitzpatrick. “We’ve continued to take shots and finally, the tension released tonight.”

York broke through with 5:10 to go in the first period, on a 3-point shot from sophomore Emily Rainforth, but Clement answered with a layup.

Sophomore Rose Pavuk made a bank shot for the visitors, but a 3-point shot from freshman Sophia Ippolito, who had just entered the game, put the Rangers back on top by nine.

Howe then made a layup and hit a 3 to pull the Wildcats within four, 14-10, but Greely closed the period on a 10-2 run.

A Clement 3 got things started and after Howe drove for a layup at the other end, Fitzpatrick scored on a putback before Mollie Obar made a 3-pointer, then hit a jumper to make it Rangers 24 Wildcats 14 after eight minutes.

Howe had seven first period points, but Greely sank five 3s and wasn’t done yet.

Graiver set up Brooke Obar for a layup to start the second quarter, but Howe countered with a runner.

The Rangers then scored a dozen consecutive points to open up an insurmountable lead.

First, Mollie Obar made a 3. Fitzpatrick then sank a 3 and after Graiver made two free throws, Brooke Obar made a layup after a steal and with 3:58 to go in the half, Brooke Obar got a pullup jumper to bounce off the rim and in for a 38-16 advantage.

A jump shot from York junior Charley Feugill snapped the surge, but Mollie Obar countered with a 3.

After sophomore Ava Giacobba scored on a putback for the Wildcats, sophomore Kaiyla Delisle’s putback made it 43-20.

Howe drove for a layup, but in the final minute, Clement got a jumper to roll around and drop for a 23-point halftime advantage.

In the first half, Brooke Obar had a dozen points and Mollie Obar added 11, while Howe paced York with 11 points.

Greely showed no mercy in the third quarter, as it extended the lead.

After Brooke Obar started the second half with a jump shot, Graiver, a transfer from Falmouth who has emerged as a star of the future, drove and finished a finger roll.

“Chelsea is playing a different role from last year when she was a big scorer in Falmouth,” Brooke Obar said. “It took awhile for her to adjust to that, but she’s played well and takes care of the ball really well.”

Rainforth banked home a runner for York’s first points of the half, but Clement made two free throws and after a Graiver steal, Graiver set up Mollie Obar for a layup and a 53-24 lead.

Giacobba made a layup, sophomore Clara Pavuk drove for a layup and Howe drained a 3 from the corner to pull the Wildcats within 22, but Brook Obar scored eight points in under two minutes, hitting consecutive 3-pointers before knocking down a short jumper for Greely’s biggest lead, 61-31.

Late in the quarter, Howe got a leaner to boucne in and Clara Pavuk made a short jumper, but the Rangers still held a 26-point advantage heading to the fourth.

There, Clement made a jumper before Howe drove for a layup and Rainforth hit a 3 to cut the deficit to 63-40.

After a Brooke Obar jumper, Howe made a 3, but Clement ended any remaining comeback hopes with back-to-back 3-pointers and a 71-43 advantage with 4:56 to go.

Down the stretch, Howe drove and made a layup with her left hand and after Brooke Obar found Fitzpatrick with a pretty pass for Greely’s final points, Howe made a layup after a steal, Howe sank a 3 and Giacobba knocked down consecutive jump shots to account for the 73-54 final score.

“It was very special, a great environment,” Fitzpatrick said. “I feel really old. It’s kind of a bittersweet moment because we’re all so close.”

“It was awesome, but it was sad to be my last home game with this group,” Brooke Obar said. “I love this group of girls. They’re like my second family. (Playing for Greely) was more than I ever dreamed of. The coaches are awesome. Every single player I’ve played with has made a difference in who I am today.”

Brooke Obar paced the Rangers with 24 points, while adding five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

“It’s sad to think Brooke and I will be separated because we’ve played together forever,” Fitzpatrick said. “Brooke is one of the best players. She’s not just a dynamic scorer and defender, but she’s a great teammate. She picks everyone up.”

“Brooke had a great practice last night and I predicted this would be one of her better games and it definitely was,” said Flaherty. “She got us started. She defers, then can step up. She’s there when we need her, but she distributed the ball to top offensive players her whole career. She’s been a gem to coach.”

Clement added 17 points and four assists, Mollie Obar had 13 points and five rebounds and Fitzpatrick nearly had a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

“It’s been awesome having Katie,” Brooke Obar said. “We’ve needed her and she’s stepped into a bigger role this year. She’s embraced it.”

“Katie does exactly what we need,” said Flaherty. “She’s a rebounder, she’s a tough defender inside and she can step outside and her shot is good, so if teams don’t honor that, she’ll burn them alive. She’s a great senior leader for us.”

Graiver only had four points, but finished with a game-high 11 assists, as well as five rebounds.

“Chelsea fits right in,” Flaherty said. “She’s a very good offensive player who distributes the ball well for us. She’s improved over the course of the season.”

Ippoloito had three points and Deslisle finished with two.

“The bench did great,” said Flaherty. “Kaiyla got a lot of minutes. Sophia and (junior) Abby (Taylor) came in and played well.”

The Rangers made 12 3-pointers, enjoyed a 38-28 rebounding advantage, made 5-of-7 free throws and overcame 16 turnovers.

York was paced by Howe, who had a game-high 28 points, as well as six rebounds and four steals.

Giacobba and Rainforth each added eight points, Clara Pavuk and Rose Pavuk (seven rebounds) both had four points and Feugill finished with two.

The Wildcats took just one free throw all night and missed it. They only turned the ball over 11 times.

Chasing gold

York (now sixth in the Class A South Heal Points standings) closes its regular season at Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday.

Greely also closes Wednesday, at Fryeburg Academy, then will set its sights on a program-first third consecutive state championship.

“We can be silly, but I think going into the tournament, we’ll stay focused,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’ll do whatever it takes to get the Gold Ball.”

“We have to continue to come to practice ready to work hard,” Brooke Obar said. “We focus when we need to. I think we have what it takes to win. Everyone on the team is determined to win another Gold Ball. We don’t want to settle for anything less.”

“I feel great,” Flaherty added. “It’s a wide open tournament, so we could lose to anybody. We have to play our best. That first round of games, anything could happen and things could get shaken up. There are a lot of interesting matchups.”