PORTLAND—A season of resurgence and redemption came to an abrupt and disappointing end Monday evening at the Portland Exposition Building.
But what a run the Deering girls’ basketball team enjoyed.
The Rams, seeded fifth, entered the quarterfinals against fourth-ranked Fryeburg Academy feeling good about their chances, considering they beat the host Raiders by 21 points a month ago, but this time around, Deering could never get comfortable, fell behind and couldn’t rally.
The Rams, playing without senior post presence Maya Gayle, shot to a quick 5-0 lead behind the heroics of freshman Angelina Keo, but five quick points from senior Marta Bajic put Fryeburg Academy ahead, 11-9, after one quarter.
Deering couldn’t capitalize on its chances in the second period and a long 3-point shot from senior Jilyan Byrne made it 24-18 Raiders at the half.
The Rams were then completely stymied in the second half, managing just nine points, and Fryeburg Academy pushed its lead to 32-24 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth to prevail, 43-27.
Senior Mina Miosevic was simply unstoppable. scoring 19 points and grabbing a whopping 21 rebounds as the Raiders improved to 10-9, advanced to take on top-ranked Mt. Ararat (17-2) in the Class A South semifinals Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. at the Expo and in the process, ended Deering’s fine season at 9-10.
“We had good shots, but the ball didn’t go in and that was their separation,” said Rams coach Mike Murphy, who confirmed after the game that he is retiring after 33 season in the profession, the past 16 at Deering. “They’re physically stronger than anybody in our league. They showed it tonight.”
Well deserved
Deering’s seniors won just nine of 48 games their first three seasons, but this winter, after moving from Class AA North down to Class A South, the Rams were competitive from the onset.
Deering alternated wins and losses most of the year and wound up 9-9, good for the No. 5 seed in the region.
Fryeburg Academy, meanwhile, started 3-0 and was 8-3 at one juncture, but dropped six of its final seven contests to finish fourth.
On Jan. 23, the visiting Rams rolled to a 35-14 victory.
“That was the catalyst that I knew it was so bad, we needed a change,” said Fryeburg Academy’s second-year coach Kristen Stacy. “I sat two of my best players at the start of the Westbrook game (our next game). I had to make sure my team knew how important it was to be good teammates. We had good players, but you can’t be talented and not work hard. We only lost by one to Westbrook. I think that was the wakeup call.”
The teams had no postseason history.
Monday, Deering hoped to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2019, but instead, it was a night of frustration.
Deering freshman Angelina Keo makes a move on Fryeburg Academy senior Marta Bajic early in the Raiders’ 43-27 victory in Monday’s Class A South quarterfinal. Hoffer photos.
The Rams started strong, as Keo drove for a layup 36 seconds in and the next time down, senior Natalie Santiago set up Keo for a 3 to make it 5-0.
But that proved to be Deering’s highwater mark, as Milosevic got the Raiders on the board with a layup, then senior Sydney Shaw set up Byrne for a layup.
After Santiago fed sophomore Almarina Abore for a bank shot, Byrne pulled up and drained a jumper, then with 2:01 on the clock, Bajic made a layup to put Fryeburg Academy ahead for the first time.
After Milosevic kept possession with an offensive rebound, she set up Bajic for a 3 and while Keo made a long jumper in the final minute, the Raiders held an 11-9 advantage after eight minutes.
Keo started the second period with two free throws to tie the score, but 31 seconds in, a Milosevic layup gave Fryeburg Academy the lead for good.
Milosevic added a bank shot and after the Rams pulled within one on a Abore layup (set up by Santiago) and an Abore free throw, junior Phoebe Sartory hit a jumper from the baseline and after Santiago sank a free throw, Bajic scored on a runner to make it 19-15.
Senior Shay Rosenthal got a point back at the line, but Byrne got a jumper to rattle in.
Keo scored on a runner with 1:49 on the clock, but Shaw countered with a 3-poitner from behind the NBA stripe and the Raiders were up, 24-18, at the half.
Bajic had seven points, while Byrne and Milosevic had six apiece to counter Keo’s 11 points.
Deering had opportunities to answer in the second half, but instead, Fryeburg Academy added to its lead.
Deering senior Natalie Santiago looks to pass the ball.
After Sartory opened the third period with a free throw, Shaw added a point at the line and Milosevic sank a pair of foul shots to push the lead to 10, 28-18.
The Rams showed some life, as Keo took a pass from Santiago and made a 3 with 2:22 on the clock, snapping a 7 minute, 27 second scoring drought, then Keo banked home a runner, but with an opportunity to make it a one possession contest, Deering turned the ball over twice in a row and Bajic set up Shaw for a layup, then Milosevic scored on a putback.
Santiago made a late free throw, but the Rams trailed, 32-24, heading to the final stanza.
There, Fryeburg Academy slammed the door.
Forty seconds in, Milosevic showed her range, sinking a 3.
Santiago countered with two foul shots, but Byrne knocked down a jumper and after another Santiago free throw, Milosevic ended any lingering doubt by scoring on a putback, hitting a jumper, then scoring on another putback to account for the 43-27 final score.
“We’re very pleased,” Stacy said. “We’ve gone through a lot of adversity off the floor and I think we’re finally playing as a team right now. We had a lot of personalities that weren’t working together, so we had to do a lot of off-the-court stuff, creating an I’ve-got-your-back culture, and that’s genuinely what we needed.
“We tend to play better away, so I kept reminding them of that. Both teams were nervous. We were so focused on working hard, the nerves weren’t as bad as I anticipated they would be. We just needed to have fun.”
Milosevic put on a show, scoring 19 points and grabbing 21 rebounds.
“I’m really proud of my team,” said Milosevic. “We worked really hard. We prepared for this game the last two weeks. We practiced really hard every day for two hours and we’re not going to stop here.”
Byrne had eight points and four rebounds, Bajic finished with seven points, six steals, four assists, three rebounds and three blocked shots, Shaw had six points and six assists and Sartory contributed three points.
Fryeburg Academy enjoyed a 33-22 advantage on the glass and made 4-of-10 free throws, but only turned the ball over 12 times.
Looking ahead, the Raiders lost, 61-39, Jan. 25 at Mt. Ararat, which handled No. 8 Westbrook in its quarterfinal Monday.
Fryeburg Academy will enter the semifinal round with nothing to lose.
“We’re excited about Wednesday,” said Stacy.
End of an era
Deering was led by the dynamic Keo, who had 16 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals in her first tournament game.
“Angie is so explosive,” Murphy said. “She has a great future. She was a wonderful addition to our team and the kids did a great job bringing her in. It’s tough to be a freshman on a senior-laden team. She worked so hard. Her motor just doesn’t stop. She’s a great kid. A great competitor.”
Abore had five points, as did Santiago, who also produced five assists and five rebounds in her swan song. Rosenthal bowed out with one point. Senior Sophie Hill didn’t score, but grabbed four rebounds on a balky ankle.
The Rams made 9-of-14 free throws and turned the ball over 13 times.
“(Fryeburg’s) a tough team,” said Santiago. “They played us well defensively. We gave it our all and that’s all I can ask for. This season meant so much. Everybody kept their heads up. We knew what we were capable of.”
“(Bajic, Shaw and Milosevic) can flat-out play,” said Murphy. “They’re as good as anybody in AA and they’re on a team in Class A with serious strength. The first time we played, we punched them in the face and they didn’t expect it.”
Deering will be hard-hit by graduation.
“I’m proud of Shay, Nat, Sophie,” Murphy said. “Sophie sprained her ankle Monday and there was no way she was going to play. She showed a lot of guts tonight. Hats off to our trainer (Greg Tosi) and the guts she showed. Nat is really a throwback to the early years where I tell her something and bingo, it gets done. Shay’s a competitor. They’re just great kids.”
Murphy coached at Scarborough from 1991-92 through the 2002-03 season, going 135-90 and reaching one regional final. He then took over at Westbrook for five seasons before coming to Deering in 2008, leading the Rams to the Class A state title his first season before ultimately compiling a record of 170-139.
“I’m very honored to have played for Coach Murphy for four years,” said Santiago. “He meant so much to us. He did nothing but lifting us up and he knew we were capable of what we did this year. I’ve learned so much. My confidence has skyrocketed this season because of him.”
After annually teasing his retirement, Murphy is ready to move on.
“This is it,” Murphy said. “I took a job at Scarborough for one year. I had never seen a girls’ basketball game from start to finish. My assistant, Jen Allen, always jokes that I’m retiring, but I told her about three weeks ago, ‘The resignation is in, it’s over.’ It’s great to win, but coaches have said they love that I stuck around the last few years. I always found the game to be a challenge. I feel good about the team. I’m pleased with the move down to Class A for the kids and the school and hopefully, the numbers help kids coming out for basketball and coming to Deering High School.
“I’ve had great years at Deering, not even talking about the wins. Just great kids and personalities.
Press Herald staff writer Mike Lowe contributed to this story.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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