YARMOUTH—The Medomak Valley boys basketball team has been highly touted this winter.

Saturday afternoon at Jack Stroud Gymnasium, the Yarmouth Clippers found out why.

Thanks in large part to extra possessions, courtesy forced turnovers and offensive rebounds, the Panthers seized control by halftime and rolled to yet another victory.

The Clippers scored the game’s first five points, but a 3-pointer from junior Mason Nguyen late in the first quarter gave Medomak Valley a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

The Panthers extended their 15-10 advantage after one period to 33-16 at halftime, as senior standout Gabe Lash had 13 points and five rebounds and senior Rocco DePatsy added six points and three rebounds off the bench.

Medomak Valley led by as much as 20 in the third quarter before Yarmouth crept back to 49-33 on a late 3-pointer from sophomore sharpshooter Evan Oranellas.

When Oranellas sank another 3-ball with 5:18 to play, the Clippers were within nine, but the Panthers scored the next eight points to put it away, then went on to a 57-45 victory.

Lash led the way with a near double-double of 18 points and nine rebounds, Nguyen added 14 points and DePatsy finished with 12 points and six rebounds as Medomak Valley improved to 11-0 and in the process, dropped the Clippers to 7-3.

“We know we’ll get every teams’ best shot every night,” said Lash, who has committed to playing at the University of Southern Maine. “We keep that high intensity in practice and it goes into games.”

Measuring stick

Medomak Valley entered the year as the favorite in Class B South and has done nothing to dispel that notion.

Prior to coming to Yarmouth, the Panthers dispatched Belfast (54-23), Oceanside (66-44), Lincoln Academy (57-31), Mount View (70-24), Lake Region (65-40), Mt. Ararat (68-52), Spruce Mountain (55-43), Camden Hills (62-50), Leavitt (71-31) and Morse (83-32), winning by an average of 28 points per game.

The Clippers opened with a 74-47 home loss to York, then defeated visiting Cape Elizabeth (71-49), host Lake Region (56-52) and host Waynflete (70-51). After a 55-32 loss at Spruce Mountain, Yarmouth got back on track with a 73-68 home win over Oceanside, then knocked off host Cape Elizabeth (71-49), visiting Wells (61-44) and host Gray-New Gloucester (67-51).

A year ago, the teams produced an epic at Yarmouth, as Medomak Valley outlasted the Clippers in two overtimes, 63-58. The rematch came in the Class B South quarterfinals in Portland and this time, the Panthers rolled to a 61-33 victory.

Saturday, Medomak Valley got pushed at times, but the Panthers built a big enough lead to go on to a comfortable victory.

Yarmouth senior Bobby Wolff and Medomak Valley senior Gabe Lash leap for the opening tip of the Panthers’ 57-45 victory Saturday. Hoffer photos.

Oranellas opened the scoring with a 3-pointer from the corner, then junior Ian Lawrence scored on a putback to make it 5-0, but that proved to be the Clippers’ highwater mark.

With 5:49 to go in the first quarter, senior Kristian Schumann drove for a layup to get Medomak Valley on the board, then Lash scored his first point of the game at the free throw line before Lash pulled up and sank a 3-pointer for a 6-5 lead.

Yarmouth went back in front one final time, as freshman Adam Maxwell banked home a shot, but Nguyen set up Lash for a layup, then DePatsy, who had just entered the contest, banked home a shot to make it 10-7.

With 1:57 left in the frame, Maxwell knocked down a 3 to tie it, but at the other end, Nguyen freed himself from a defender, then buried a 3 to put the Panthers in front to stay. DePatsy then added two foul shots for a 15-10 advantage after eight minutes.

Medomak Valley then dominated the second quarter, forcing eight Clippers’ turnovers.

A pair of Lawrence free throws began the period, but junior Owen Dostie drove for a layup, then Lash set up Dostie for a 3 from the corner before Dostie returned the favor, feeding Lash for a 3-ball from the corner, stretching the lead to 23-12.

Oranellas countered with a jumper, but Lash drove and finished, then Nguyen drove to the hoop for a layup.

After senior Bobby Wolff got two points back for Yarmouth with a putback, DePatsy put home a miss, then Schumann fed Lash for a layup and junior Luke Cheesman made a layup after a steal for a commanding 33-16 halftime advantage.

In the first half, Lash did a little of everything, scoring 13 points, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists.

Yarmouth junior Ian Lawrence is defended by Medomak Valley senior Gabe Lash.

After Nguyen opened the second half with a layup (from Lash), Wolff scored on a putback to snap a 5 minute, 13 second scoring drought for the Clippers.

Wolff then spun and made a reverse layup, but Lash sank two free throws and Schumann fed Cheesman for a layup and a 39-20 lead.

After Wolff countered with a 3, Schumann drove for a layup, then with 3:45 on the clock, DePatsy’s layup (from Nguyen) produced the Panthers’ biggest lead of the game, 43-23.

Wolff countered with a runner in the lane and after Lash made one foul shot, junior Jayden Pelletier drove and made a layup for Yarmouth before a Wolff layup cut the deficit to 15.

Nguyen turned momentum back in the favor of Medomak Valley with a 3. Clippers’ senior Torrey Rogers and Nguyen then traded two free throws before an Oranellas 3-ball, with 2 seconds to go, pulled Yarmouth within 49-33 heading for the final stanza.

Yarmouth coach Ilunga Mutombo speaks to his team during a timeout.

Lawrence began the fourth period with a pair of layups to give the Clippers life, then with 5:18 on the clock, Oranellas knocked down a 3 to make it 49-40.

Oranellas had a chance to draw Yarmouth even closer, but he missed a 3 and at the other end, Nguyen set up DePatsy for a layup.

That capped a game-sealing surge which also saw another DePatsy layup, a pair of Lash free throws and a driving layup from Nguyen to make it 57-40 with just 1:39 to go.

In the final minute, Oranellas made two free throws and Maxwell sank a 3, but it was far too little, too late and the Panthers closed out their 57-45 victory.

“Our defense sets the tone and we know our offense will come later,” said Lash. “We knew they were going to play fast and we knew that we can play fast too.”

“We just get up and down the floor and our defense has improved a lot,” Rocco DePatsy said.

“We’re playing really well as a team,” added Medomak Valley coach Nick DePatsy. “We’re moving the ball well. I didn’t think we played as well on defense as I thought we might, but (Yarmouth’s) a good team. They’re long, they’re lengthy, they’re athletic, they’re playing with confidence and they’re going to be a very tough out in the tournament. I was very impressed with them.”

Lash led all scorers with 18 points and also had nine rebounds and three assists.

“Gabe controls the floor well and he can get kids to their spots and get them passes,” Rocco DePatsy said.

“Gabe can be unstoppable,” Nick DePatsy said. “He’s played well. He’s had a great season so far. He’s our catalyst.”

Nguyen was solid with 14 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals.

“Mason’s been very active,” Nick DePatsy said. “He’s gotten stronger.”

Rocco DePatsy, who previously played at Cheverus and Falmouth before transferring to Medomak Valley this year, finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

“My uncle he said he’d give me a good chance to play and I just love playing with everybody,” Rocco DePatsy said. “My mindset is just aggression and getting rebounds.”

“Rocco’s brought height,” said Lash. “I’ve been the tallest player, but I’m not a traditional (post player). Having him in there, I can get him the ball and that opens up the floor for 3s from the corner. He’s averaged almost 10 rebounds a game. Offensively and defensively, he’s really helped us out.”

“Rocco’s brought presence inside,” added Nick DePatsy. “He’s a rim protector who finishes well. He rebounds and his defense has gotten a lot better. He fits in well. He’s fortunate he came in with a good group.”

Dostie added five points, Cheesman had four (to go with two steals) and Schumann scored four as well (and also had five rebounds, three assists and two steals).

“Even our bench is deep,” Lash said. “They can come in and make plays. When we move the ball and get open shots, they’re going to fall.”

Medomak Valley had a 34-24 advantage on the glass (grabbing 11 offensive rebounds), made 10-of-13 free throws and only turned the ball over seven times.

For Yarmouth, Oranellas (three rebounds) and Wolff (seven rebounds) led the way with 13 points apiece.

“Bobby did the little things,” said Clippers coach Ilunga Mutombo. “On top of that, Bobby being in foul trouble gave Jayden Pelletier a chance and he went out there and played well against Gabe.”

Lawrence had eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots, Maxwell added eight points and five rebounds, Pelletier scored two points and Rogers had one (to go with three assists and three rebounds).

The Clippers made 5-of-6 free throws, but turned the ball over 17 times.

“(Medomak Valley’s) a very good team,” Mutombo said. “We put together two weeks of preparation while we were playing other teams, as they were a team we were locking in on. We knew we had to bring the best we’ve got. The second quarter got us, but that third and fourth, it was good to take away winning the second half. We’ll watch the film and improve as we go.

“These games go back and forth. It was a chess game. Size-wise, we tried to get deep into our rotation, but second half, we shortened our rotation and went with height. That helped us stay close.”

Eye on February

Medomak Valley (which was second in the Class B South Heal Points standings at press time) returns home Tuesday to face Erskine Academy. The Panthers then visit Winslow Friday.

“We just have finish our layups and really play strong like we have been,” said Rocco DePatsy.

“We just have to keep our high intensity,” Lash said. “The big thing is we can’t get overconfident. We’re undefeated, but I try to tell the guys that we have to keep working and that we’re not as good as we’re going to be. We have to stay humble and hopefully, finish the job.”

“Mentally, we have some things to work on, especially late in games, closing out quarters,” added Nick DePatsy. “Offensively, we just have to cut down on turnovers and our shot selection at times. We need to do some tweaking in some areas, but I’m happy with how the guys are playing together.”

Yarmouth (fifth in Class B South) is at Freeport Tuesday, then welcomes Poland Friday.

“I’m very confident in my guys,” said Mutombo. “They’re committed to each other and the program. We’ve just go to keep competing and we just need to keep getting better defensively. We’ll be the best we can be in the eight games we have left. We haven’t even talked getting into the tournament. We just want to compete and gain confidence.”

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