PORTLAND—Yarmouth’s boys basketball team is just beginning to hit its stride and the scary news for the opposition is that the Clippers can still get better.

Thursday evening, Yarmouth took its show on the road to battle Waynflete in an interclass showdown and the Clippers quickly seized control of the contest.

And never looked back.

Yarmouth closed the first period on a 14-0 run to lead, 16-2, as junior Ian Lawrence scored eight points and senior Bobby Wolff came off the bench and added six.

The Clippers continued to pour it on in the second quarter, leading by as much as 26 before taking a 41-16 advantage to the break.

The Flyers were much better in the second half and drew within 16 on a 3-pointer from senior Lucas McChesney, but a late putback from Wolff made it 56-36 Yarmouth heading to the final stanza.

The Clippers were never tested from there and went on to a 70-51 victory.

Yarmouth got 19 points from Wolff, 12 from Lawrence and 11 players got in the scoring column, as the Clippers won their third game in a row in improving to 3-1, while dropping Waynflete to 2-2 in the process.

“We all filled our roles today and that’s why we played so well,” said Wolff. “We were aggressive on the boards, getting second-chance points. That and ball movement.”

Too much to handle

Waynflete started with a 58-53 loss at Poland, then defeated host Sacopee Valley (62-31) before handling visiting rival North Yarmouth Academy (49-16) in its home opener Monday.

Yarmouth opened with a 74-47 home loss to York, then defeated visiting Cape Elizabeth (71-49) and host Lake Region (56-52).

The teams hadn’t met since Dec. 13, 2021, when the title-bound Clippers rolled at Portland, 57-25.

Thursday, Yarmouth showed just how talented, deep and balanced it can be when all cylinders are clicking.

Yarmouth senior Torrey Rogers defends Waynflete sophomore JJ Carlo early in the Clippers’ 70-51 win Thursday. Hoffer photos.

It took just 21 seconds for the Clippers to break the ice, as sophomore Evan Oranellas set up Lawrence for a layup.

The Flyers countered, as junior Jed Alsup drove for a layup, but with 6:06 on the first quarter clock, on the fastbreak, Oranellas fed junior Jayden Pelletier for a reverse layup and Yarmouth was ahead to stay.

After Lawrence added a 3-pointer, Oranellas fed Wolff for a layup and his first points, Oranellas set up Lawrence for a 3-ball from the corner, Oranellas found Wolff for a layup, then Wolff scored on a leaner with 25 seconds to go for a quick 16-2 advantage.

Yarmouth kept the pressure on in the second period as well.

Senior Wyatt Gawtry got things going with a leaner, then senior Torrey Rogers stole the ball and went in and was credited for a layup when Waynflete sophomore JJ Carlo was called for goaltending.

With 6:29 to go in the first half, the Flyers snapped the Clippers’ 18-0 run and their 8 minute, 26 second scoring drought, as freshman Lucas Morales knocked down a 3.

Wolff countered with a 3 for Yarmouth.

After junior Diego Schair-Cardona made another 3 for the home team, Rogers countered with an old-fashioned three-point play (leaner, foul, free throw).

After Carlo scored on a floater, Oranellas found freshman Adam Maxwell for a layup, then Oranellas fed Lawrence for another layup and a 30-10 lead.

After Carlo sank a free throw, Oranellas got in the scoring column by taking a pass from Lawrence and sinking a 3-pointer, then Oranellas, off an inbounds set, passed to Rogers for a layup to make it 35-11.

McChesney got a point back at the line, but Rogers found Maxwell for a 3 from the corner for what proved to be the Clippers’ largest lead, 38-12.

Carlo answered with a floater, then junior Mercy Nkulu hit a free throw, but junior Andrew Kelly made a layup for Yarmouth and after junior Malcolm O’Wril made a foul shot for Waynflete, Kelly answered with one for the Clippers, who were firmly at control at the half, 41-16.

The Flyers would fight back in the second half, but never made a serious run.

Waynflete junior Malcolm O’Wril keeps an eye on Yarmouth sophomore Evan Oranellas.

Nkulu began the third quarter with a leaner, then, after a Carlo steal, he passed to Alsup for a layup. Pelletier countered with a jumper in the lane, but McChesney scored on a runner, then Nkulu drove for a layup to cut the deficit to 43-24.

After Rogers kept possession with an offensive rebound, he set up Oranellas for a 3.

Carlo scored on a putback, but Oranellas found Maxwell for a layup.

Alsup then fed O’Wril for a 3 and the next time down, he found McChesney for another 3-ball to make it 48-32, but that’s as close as the Flyers would get.

First, Wolff drove for a layup.

After O’Wril made a free throw, Lawrence set up Gawtry for a layup, then Wolff found junior Griffin Rideout for a layup to make it 54-33.

McChesney made a free throw, then McChesney made a layup after a steal, but with 15 seconds to go, a putback from Wolff allowed Yarmouth to take a 56-36 advantage to the final stanza.

Alsup began the fourth period with a leaner, but Maxwell answered with a putback.

After Carlo drove for a layup, Wolff did the same, then Lawrence scored as well to make it 62-40.

After Alsup made a free throw, he scored on a putback, but Kelly fed sophomore Owen Oranellas for a layup.

O’Wril kept hope alive with a 3 and after a Wolff putback, O’Wril scored on a turnaround jumper, but Owen Oranellas set up Wolff for a layup, then senior Chris Augur finished a feed from Rideout for a layup and the Clippers’ final points.

In the final seconds, senior Kaiden Christie made two free throws for Waynflete, then he sank one more to make Yarmouth’s 70-51 victory official.

“We tried to have a half-second mindset, pass the ball and get easy looks from that,” Wolff said.

“We took (Waynflete) very seriously,” said Yarmouth coach Ilunga Mutombo. “Whenever we play Waynflete, we know it’s going to be a tough game. They fought back. They’re tough. You want to play teams like that throughout the year to get ready for whatever comes down the road.”

Wolff had a game-high 19 points. He also had 10 rebounds for a double-double and dished out three assists.

All coming off the bench.

“We all have roles on the team and I just try to play my part,” said Wolff. “I’m happy to come off the bench, start, do whatever I need to do.”

“(Bobby’s) one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever had a chance to coach,” said Mutombo. “Whatever we ask him to do, he’s ready to go. Last year, he was a starter, but this year, knowing we didn’t have a deep bench, we had to find a way to rotate him through. He’s just a great player.”

Lawrence also wound up in double-figures with 12 points, to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Maxwell had nine points (eight rebounds and two steals), Rogers seven (seven rebounds, four steals), Evan Oranellas six (to go with 11 assists, four steals and three rebounds), Gawtry four, Pelletier four, Kelly three, Augur two, Owen Oranellas two and Rideout two.

“If someone’s shots aren’t falling, we can rely on so many other people,” said Wolff. “We can get into our offense and run our sets.”

The Clippers had a commanding 49-22 advantage on the glass, overcame 23 turnovers and shot 2-of-5 from the foul line.

Waynflete was paced by 10 points from O’Wril, who also had five steals. Alsup (four rebounds, three assists), Carlo (four rebounds, three steals, two blocked shots) and McChesney (four rebounds, two steals) all added nine, Nkulu had five and Christie, Morales and Schair-Cardona three apiece.

The Flyers gave the ball away 17 times and hit 10-of-16 foul shots.

“We talked at halftime about needing to play harder,” said longtime Waynflete coach Rich Henry. “We were outmuscled, out-physicaled, outfought, outplayed, outcoached. They were committed to pushing the ball up the court and they do it without dribbling. They’re always looking up. I told the team we had to get back. If you spend a minute looking at the ball, it’s over our heads.

“I was really happy with the way we played the third and fourth quarters. The way we played, if we played that way from the beginning, who knows?”

A new year looms

Waynflete looks to bounce back Saturday when Boothbay pays a visit.

“The kids need to learn from this,’ Henry said. “We’ll watch the film and see what we need to do better. I don’t think I need to worry about us peaking too early. We want to play our best basketball at the end.”

Yarmouth goes to Spruce Mountain Saturday and returns home next Friday to battle Oceanside.

“I think it’s just building our chemistry,” said Wolff. “Game-after-game, we trust each other more. We have to keep trusting the system. It starts with defense and forcing turnovers and getting easy looks.”

“The chemistry is getting there,” said Mutombo. “We changed our philosophy from “Family’ to ‘Brotherhood.’ We need more camaraderie. More assists and less turnovers. We’ll work on those things.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.