BOX SCORE
Greely 61 Yarmouth 35
Y- 12 7 12 4- 35
G- 13 15 16 17- 61
Y- D’Applonia 4-0-10, McGonagle 3-3-9, McNeil 2-0-6, Feeley 1-2-4, M. Panozzo 2-0-4, Keaney 1-0-2
G- Clement 10-1-26, Obar 5-0-14, Graiver 5-0-11, Delisle 2-0-4, Ippolito 2-0-4, Small 1-0-2
3-pointers:
Y (5) D’Appolonia, McNeil 2
G (10) Clement 5, Obar 4, Graiver 1
Turnovers:
Y- 10
G- 9
FTs
Y: 5-9
G: 1-4
CUMBERLAND—It wasn’t quite the unrivaled thrill of cutting down the nets after winning a state championship, but Greely’s girls’ basketball team was pretty excited about its success in the season finale Saturday afternoon against visiting Yarmouth.
In a year without a postseason, the Rangers managed to close on a nine-game win streak and state their claim as title-worthy after gradually running away from the talented Clippers, thanks to key performances by veterans who have won state titles and will go on to play at the next level, as well some talented underclassmen who will keep the Greely program on the short list of favorites when life returns to normal next winter.
Senior sharpshooter Camille Clement, a Miss Maine Basketball finalist, who will play next year at Northeastern University in Boston, opened the game with a 3-pointer and classmate Mollie Obar, a Miss Maine Basketball semifinalist, who will play at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts next year, added a pair of 3s to give the Rangers an early lead, but when Yarmouth senior Margaret McNeil banked home a prayer from beyond midcourt at the horn, the Clippers were only down by a point, 13-12.
Greely was able to extend its lead in the second period, as junior Chelsea Graiver found her teammates in optimal spots and made shots as well, helping the Rangers hold a 28-19 lead at the break.
Clement, who went cold following her game-opening 3, then came to life in the third quarter, settling for shorter shots, scoring 10 points in the frame, capped by a 3-ball, for a 44-31 Greely advantage.
Early in the fourth period, Clement then hit a milestone, making her 200th career 3-pointer, and she wasn’t done, draining a couple more and the Rangers ended all doubt, cruising to a 61-35 victory.
Greely got 26 points from Clement, 14 from Obar and 13 from Graiver as it finished 11-1, while ending Yarmouth’s season at 9-2 in the process.
“We won our last game of the year which is always the goal,” said Rangers coach Todd Flaherty. “There’s no fanfare this year, but the girls made the most of a strange situation and we had fun.”
Two top teams
Greely and Yarmouth each got to their respective regional final a year ago and would have likely made a serious run at a championship this winter had COVID-19 not shortened the season and eliminated the postseason altogether, as each squad entered the game with only one loss.
Yarmouth opened with a pair of wins over Lake Region (46-29 at home and 42-35 in Naples), then swept Brunswick (49-34 at home and 51-34 away), before edging visiting South Portland, 30-28, and prevailing, 38-28, at Freeport, 38-18 over visiting Cape Elizabeth, 43-27 at home over Freeport and 37-18 at Cape Elizabeth. Thursday, the Clippers fell from the unbeaten ranks with a 44-36 home loss to Greely.
The Rangers, meanwhile, dispatched host Westbrook (76-41) and visiting York (63-47), then lost at home to two-time defending Class AA champion Oxford Hills, 58-35. Greely then began its win streak by beating visiting Cape Elizabeth (47-27), before knocking off host Cape Elizabeth (60-42), host Gray-New Gloucester (59-32), host Edward Little (64-31), visiting Edward Little (54-30), host Falmouth (58-49), host Massabesic (78-47) and host Yarmouth (44-36).
In Thursday’s meeting, Greely got 20 points from Clement and 19 from Obar, while Yarmouth was led by junior Katelyn D’Appolonia, who had 12 points, while McNeil added 10.
Saturday, the Clippers were seeking their first victory over Greely since a 56-48 triumph Jan. 5, 2005 in Cumberland, but instead, the Rangers simply featured too much firepower and made it 28 in a row in the series.
Greely needed all of 12 seconds to hit its first 3-pointer, as Clement did the honors.
Yarmouth answered, as junior Maya Panozzo made a layup, then hit a jump shot, but Graiver put the Rangers back on top with her first points, coming on a runner.
After D’Appolonia gave the Clippers the lead with a driving layup, Obar countered with her first 3 and Greely was ahead to stay.
After senior Calin McGonagle made a foul shot for the visitors, Obar sank another 3.
McGonagle answered with a jumper, but junior Kaiyla Delisle made a layup for the Rangers.
Yarmouth then appeared to get a huge momentum boost, as just before the horn, McNeil unleashed a shot from behind midcourt that banked in to pull the Clippers within one, 13-12.
But it would be Greely opening it up in the second period.
Graiver started the quarter with a 3-pointer, then Obar took a pass from Graiver in transition and made a before a Graiver runner off the glass made it 21-12.
Sophomore Ava Feeley got a point back for Yarmouth at the free throw line, then added another, but Obar countered with a long 3.
After Feeley hit a runner in the lane for the Clippers’ first field goal in over six minutes, Graiver banked home a runner and after D’Appolonia made a 3, Clement closed the first half with a contested bank shot in the lane to get back on track and make it 28-19 Rangers at halftime.
In the first half, Obar led all scorers with 12 points, thanks to four 3-pointers, while Graiver added nine.
Clement then reminded everyone why she’s such an elite scorer and talent with her play in the second half, while helped Greely end all doubt.
Sophomore Sophia Ippolito opened the second half with a leaner for the Rangers, then Clement pulled up in the lane and made a jumper to stretch the lead to 13.
McGonagle countered with a runner, then D’Appolonia made a 3, but Delisle stemmed a possible run with a putback at the other end.
After D’Appolonia converted a floater to pull Yarmouth within eight one final time, Clement made a free throw, then a layup for a 37-26 lead.
McGonagle drove for a layup, but Graiver set up Obar for a jumper, then, after a Graiver steal, Graiver fed Clement for a layup and it 41-28.
“Chelsea did really well,” Clement said. “She works so hard and it’s good to see that pay off. She didn’t look like she felt she had any pressure. She played knowing it would be her last game for awhile.”
Late in the third quarter, McNeil made a 3 for the Clippers, but Clement countered with a long 3 and Greely held a 44-31 advantage heading for the final stanza.
Which would be dominated by the Rangers.
McGonagle started the fourth quarter with a pair of free throws.
Then, with 6:46 on the clock, Clement calmly knocked down a 3-ball.
The 200th of her illustrious high school career.
“I would have been bothered a little if I wound up with 199, but it’s more about winning,” said Clement. “It was awesome. It’s a sense of accomplishment after all my hard work. I feel like it paid off. I looked over at my Dad (Brian Clement) at halftime and he gave me a thumbs-up and it gave me assurance to put the first half behind me.”
Twenty-four seconds later, Clement made another 3 and Greely was on its way.
After a driving layup by Ippolito, Clement scored on a floater, Ippolito set up Graiver for a layup after a turnover, then with 4:22 remaining, Clement scored her final high school points, on another long 3-pointer.
Both coaches played plenty of reserves from there, although Clement and Obar did return for one final, well-deserved curtain call.
Senior Emily Small made a layup for Greely’s final points and a layup after a steal from Clippers senior Kathryn Keaney brought the curtain down on the Rangers’ 61-35 victory.
“We just kind of took over and we moved the ball really well and played unselfish,” Obar said. “Overall, it was a really good game. Given our situation and not having a tournament, this is a really good end to the season. It was a good last game and everyone got to play.”
“We realized that this is it and we had to leave it all out there and do it for each other,” Clement said. “I’ll never play with these girls again, which is odd to think about. That gave us an extra spurt of energy.”
“We definitely finished strong,” added Flaherty. “Yarmouth’s a very good team. I’m very impressed with our two wins over them. Beating Falmouth was big too and Massabesic had a good record.”
Clement led all scorers with 26 points, including five 3-pointers, which gave her 202 for her career. Clement also had eight rebounds and three assists.
“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet that my senior season is over,” Clement said. When people say the time goes by fast, that’s a huge understatement. It’s going to be tough to say goodbye, but luckily, Mollie and I still have an AAU season together to look forward to. Next year, when the Greely girls start up, I’ll feel like I should be there, but I’m super-excited for Northeastern.”
Obar added 14 points, with 12 coming on 3-pointers. Obar also had six rebounds and a pair of assists.
Graiver truly stuffed the stat sheet, with 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
“A big part of my game, especially with two very good players around me in Mollie and Camille, is getting them the best shots I can so we can succeed,” Graiver said. “When I do that and we’re sprinting up the floor getting fastbreaks, that helps us as a team. We did that in the second half, running and getting good shots. I’ve had to develop into a different role, but I’m happy not scoring as much. I love getting them good passes. I love pushing the ball up the floor.”
“Chelsea did just what we wanted her to do in the open floor, she defended well and had quite a few rebounds,” Flaherty said. “You don’t have to outlet the ball when your point guard rebounds it. She had a great game.”
Delisle (seven rebounds) and Ippolito had four points apiece and Small added two.
The Rangers finished with 10 made 3-pointers to the Clippers’ five, out-rebounded Yarmouth, 43-40, only turned the ball over nine times and made 1-of-4 foul shots.
For the Clippers, D’Appolonia had 10 points and eight rebounds, McGonagle bowed out with nine points, McNeil said farewell with six points and 11 rebounds, while Feeley and Panozzo each added four points and Keaney had two.
Yarmouth committed 10 turnovers and made 5-of-9 foul shots.
“It wasn’t our day,” lamented Clippers coach David Cousins. ” We wish it was a different outcome today, but we ran into a great team. It felt like a little bit of a letdown after our first loss the other night.
“I can’t complain. It was a really good year. The kids stepped up and proved they’re one of the better teams in the state. We had some tremendous wins. The kids stayed with it the whole time even though there were peaks and valleys. They powered through it and stayed on course.”
Appreciation
Yarmouth not only produced a terrific record this winter, it got some younger players valuable minutes, something which should pay off next year after Keaney, McGonagle and McNeil depart.
“The seniors graduating now were the kids who were here when I came,” said Cousins, who completed his third season with the program. “It was a different culture and style of play and they stepped up and worked at it and you can see each year the progression. That’s all a coach can ask for. They built something for the other, talented kids behind them. I’m so excited for next year. The younger kids got great experience. This summer will be big for us. The program looks strong the next few years.”
As for Greely, Clement and Obar will long live in program lore.
“Mollie’s been a great player for us and she had a great year and Camille’s the best shooter I’ve ever been around,” Flaherty said. “When I rebound for her, I don’t have to work very hard, which I like at my age. We’ve had a tremendous stretch of players we’ve been so fortunate to have. We haven’t had many bad games, or even bad quarters. We’d like to have a couple tournament games back, but it’s very hard to win those games. I’m so blessed to be able to coach these players.”
The players who will suit up next winter will have a chance to keep the program at or near the top of the heap.
“I’m definitely excited for next year,” Graiver said. “I wish we had playoffs this year. We only lost once, so that feels like a win to me. It’s going to be different playing without Mollie and Camille, but I’m excited to see what happens next year and have a chance at a Gold Ball.”
“We’ve got a nice pipeline of players coming up,” Flaherty said. “The younger players learned how to win, how to play well. I’m looking forward to having a couple months off, then getting back to it this summer.”
Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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