YARMOUTH—Throw out their record.

The Gray-New Gloucester Patriots might be the team that no one wants to face in the upcoming Class A South boys basketball tournament.

The Patriots just have to get in.

The reigning state champions took a huge step in the right direction Monday evening at Stroud Gymnasium, as a standout player came to life in the second half to pace Gray-New Gloucester to a late-season win at Yarmouth.

The first half belonged to Clippers senior captain Bobby Wolff, who had 16 points and helped his team go up five, but the final minute of the second quarter was all Patriots, who closed on a 7-0 run to lead, 26-24.

Gray-New Gloucester senior John Patnaude, who was held scoreless in the first half, then heated up big time in the third period, scoring all 15 of his team’s points to help the Patriots go up by 11, 41-30.

Yarmouth crept back within five, 45-40, on a basket from senior captain Torrey Rogers with 3::17 remaining, but consecutive Patnaude layups iced it and Gray-New Gloucester closed out a 53-40 victory.

Patnaude led all scorers with 21 points as the Patriots won their third straight game, improved to a misleading 5-10 and in the process, dropped the Clippers to 9-6.

“To start, I knew what we had, but the guys needed to prove it to themselves and truly believe it,” said Gray-New Gloucester coach Ian McCarthy. “We had some really tough losses against some top teams in the state, one bucket games. We’re finally learning how to close out games together.”

Overcoming challenges

Gray-New Gloucester snapped a nearly half-century title drought last winter and after being hard-hit by graduation, has found the going tough this winter.

The Patriots started with losses to Freeport (53-49), Mt. Ararat (77-56) and Falmouth (66-62) before getting in the win column at Wells (64-53). Losses followed to Brunswick (57-43), Marshwood (56-55), York (70-64) and Edward Little (70-29). After holding off visiting Lake Region (54-46), Gray-New Gloucester was beaten by Noble (57-54), Greely (50-37), and Yarmouth (67-51). The Patriots then edged host Westbrook (67-65) and visiting Mt. Ararat (67-56).

“I think our energy in practice has been a lot better,” said Patnaude, who has already eclipsed the 1,000-point threshold for his career. “After the Edward Little loss, we flipped it from there.”

The Clippers, meanwhile, 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). After falling at home to powerhouse Medomak Valley (57-45) and at Freeport (46-41), the Clippers bounced back with a 46-40 home win over Poland before losing at home to Lake Region by the same score. Friday, Yarmouth held off visiting Fryeburg Academy (50-47).

In the teams’ first meeting, Jan. 9, sophomore Evan Oranellas and junior Ian Lawrence both scored 22 points for the victorious Clippers, while the Patriots were led by 16 points from senior captain Colby Mitchell.

Monday, with Lawrence unavailable (he’s out for the season with a knee injury), Yarmouth hoped to make it a clean sweep for the season, but instead, Gray-New Gloucester continued to remind everyone that it’s a team to be reckoned with.

Yarmouth freshman Adam Maxwell is smothered by Gray-New Gloucester defenders Isaiah Portas and Colby Mitchell (11) during the Patriots’ 53-40 victory Monday. Photos courtesy Geoffrey Vickers

Rogers put the Clippers in front just 17 seconds in with a putback, but Patnaude fed sophomore Carter Corson for a 3, then Mitchell sank two free throws for a 5-2 advantage.

Wolff got his first points off a feed from freshman Adam Maxwell, but Mitchell countered with a jumper.

Yarmouth then came to life to end the first quarter, scoring the final eight points, as Wolff did all of the damage.

Wolff put home a miss with 2:07 remaining, then he took a pass from Rogers and made a layup 18 seconds later before scoring on another layup with 1:26 on the clock for six points in just 41 seconds.

Wolff then took a pass from Rogers and made another layup just before the horn for a 12-7 lead.

The Patriots were much more efficient on offense in the second period.

Yarmouth senior Bobby Wolff soars to the hoop for two of his team-high 19 points. 

Fourteen seconds in, a driving Mitchell layup ended a 4 minute, 39 second drought. Junior captain Isaiah Portas added a leaner and after Wolff sank two free throws, a 3-point shot from Mitchell tied the score, 14-14, with 5:42 to go before the break.

Maxwell put the Clippers back in front, taking a pass from sophomore Owen Oranellas and making a layup, then off an inbounds set, junior Griffin Rideout found Wolff for another layup.

Freshman Quentin Warrick answered with a 3 for the visitors, but Wolff finished a contested look in the lane.

After Mitchell made a layup, Evan Oranellas scored on a putback, then Wolff set up Maxwell for a layup with 1:03 to go, good for a 24-19 advantage.

But that would prove to be Yarmouth’s highwater mark, as the final seven points of the half went to Gray-New Gloucester.

After Portas banked home a shot, Patnaude set up Warrick for a fastbreak layup.

Then, with 6 seconds remaining, Portas spotted an open Warrick, who buried a 3-ball to put the Patriots up, 26-24, at halftime.

“It was a good first half, but the last minute of the second quarter hurt,” said Yarmouth coach Ilunga Mutombo. “We have to close quarters strong and that’s something we’ll work on.”

Wolff was dominant in the first 16 minutes, scoring 16 points, while Mitchell helped keep Gray-New Gloucester in front with 11 points and six rebounds. Patnaude had three assists and two steals, but didn’t score.

That would change with a vengeance in the third quarter.

Just three seconds into the second half, Rogers tied the score with a runner in the lane, but with 6:43 left in the period, Patnaude stole the ball and made a layup to put the Patriots in front for good.

After Wolff got a point back at the line, Patnaude drove and finished, then he knocked down a 3-pointer before again stealing the ball and racing in for a layup and a 35-27 lead, forcing Mutombo to call timeout.

It helped, as Evan Oranellas ended the 9-1 run with a free throw, then Wolff put back a miss, but again, Gray-New Gloucester closed a quarter with a flourish, as Portas inbounded the ball to Patnaude, who sank a 3, then Patnaude capped his dazzling frame with a pullup 3-ball for a 41-30 advantage.

“The coaches kept my energy positive,” said Patnaude, who scored all 15 of his team’s points in the period. “Earlier in the season, I probably would have been in my head a little, but I stayed positive and came out hot.”

“We talked about it at halftime, for him to stay positive and we were one good shot from him catching fire,” McCarthy said. “When he does, teams have to defend him and everyone else feeds off his activity. I say often that he’s the best offensive player in the state.”

Yarmouth senior Torrey Rogers shoots over Gray-New Gloucester freshman Quentin Warrick. 

A Mitchell layup (from Portas) 53 seconds into the final stanza gave the Patriots their biggest lead.

Evan Oranellas tried to spark a rally with a 3-pointer, but Patnaude countered with a fadeaway jumper.

Yarmouth would get back in it, but missed multiple free throws that could have made things extremely interesting.

After junior Andrew Kelly made one-of-two foul shots, Evan Oranellas did the same to cut the deficit to 10.

Rogers then took an inbounds pass from senior Chris Augur and made a layup and after Maxwell sank a free throw, a bank shot in the lane from Rogers pulled the Clippers within five, 45-40, with 3:17 still to go.

But Yarmouth wouldn’t score again.

Thirty-four seconds later, Patnuade blew right through the Clippers’ defense and made a layup.

With 1:42 to play, Patnaude drove for another layup to stretch the lead to nine.

In the final minute, Warrick made a layup, then Mitchell hit two free throws to close the door on the 53-40 victory.

“We knew how big this win could be,” Patnaude said. “(Yarmouth’s) a good team, but we know we’re better than what we were earlier in the season. We just put it away at the end.”

“Our energy was much better tonight,” McCarthy said. “We came out solid (in the first meeting) the first two minutes, then hit a wall. They dictated the pace and got second chances. We’ve been practicing different ever since. Our ball movement and body movement are much better too.”

Patnaude had a game-high 21 points (all coming in the second half), to go with four steals, three assists and three rebounds.

Mitchell added 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

Warrick also finished in double figures with 10 points.

Portas had six points (to go with five rebounds and two assists) and Corson finished with three points.

Junior Jackson Libby didn’t score, but had a couple timely offensive rebounds.

“I thought Jack Libby was a big spark off the bench,” said McCarthy. “He won’t score a ton of points, but he gave us some key rebounds that resulted in second chances. Our rotation is coming into place. We’ve had some guys who weren’t in the rotation at the start step up and help the team.”

The Patriots made seven 3-pointers to the Clippers’ one, overcame 14 turnovers and sank 4-of-5 free throws.

Yarmouth’s effort was paced by Wolff, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Rogers nearly had a double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Rogers also had four assists.

Evan Oranellas finished with seven points and nine rebounds, Maxwell had five points and four rebounds and Kelly added one point.

The Clippers enjoyed a 40-34 rebound advantage, but made just 7-of-17 free throws and committed 13 turnovers.

“The game plan was strong, but we have to play all four quarters,” Mutombo said. “I’m challenging the guys to keep competing. We do have the right guys in this locker room. I believe in them. It’s tough when we don’t execute when we have to. When you have easy shots, free throws and you make those, it’s a whole different atmosphere.”

Every game matters

The Patriots (currently ranked 10th in the Class A South Heal Points standings, where nine teams make the postseason) have a critical home game versus Greely Saturday, then close at home versus Brunswick and at Fryeburg Academy next week.

“This is three (wins) in a row now and we’ve definitely got momentum,” Patnaude said. “We have Greely next and we won’t look ahead to the games after that.”

“We’ve got some work to do, but we’re in the driver’s seat because the teams we play are worth a lot of (Heal Points), McCarthy said. “If we can piece it together, we have a chance to sneak in (to the tournament).

“We love playing at home. (Saturday) should be a packed house. (Greely) took it to us the first time.”

The Clippers (who are fifth in Class B South) go to undefeated York Saturday, visit Greely Tuesday of next week, then close at Wells Feb. 6.

“We have to be ready for anything that comes our way the next three games,” said Mutombo. “We just have to compete in practice. It starts with accountability. We ask the guys to be accountable and the coaches have to be accountable in our role too. We have to keep doing that and competing and being the best version of ourselves. Any night, anything can happen.”

BOX SCORE

Gray-New Gloucester 53 Yarmouth 40

GNG- 7 19 15 12- 53
Y- 12 12 6 10- 40

GNG- Patnaude 9-0-21, Mitchell 4-4-13, Warrick 4-0-10, Portas 3-0-6, Corson 1-0-3

Y- Wolff 8-3-19, Rogers 4-0-8, E. Oranellas 2-2-7, Maxwell 2-1-5, Kelly 0-1-1

3-pointers:
GNG (7) Patnaude 3, Warrick 2, Corson, Mitchell
Y (1) E. Oranellas

Turnovers:
GNG- 14
Y- 13

Free throws
GNG: 4-5
Y: 7-17