PORTLAND—The up and down regular season is over.

Now, Cheverus’ girls basketball team is ready to make another run at the Class AA state title.

Wednesday evening at Keegan Gymnasium, the Stags made quick work of Portland in the teams’ mutual finale, riding a monstrous second quarter run to a victory they hope will springboard them to greatness in the weeks to come.

The Bulldogs hung around for a quarter, as seven points from senior standout Baleria Yugu helped forge an 11-11 tie.

But when the second period began, Cheverus flipped the switch and after unheralded sophomore Abby Kelly scored five quick points, a rare four-point play from junior star Kylie Lamson took the Stags to another level.

Cheverus would score 26 of the first 27 points of the frame and while Yugu made a late 3, the Stags were in command at the half, up, 37-15, thanks in large part to 15 points from Lamson.

By the end of three periods, Cheverus held a 59-32 advantage and it never looked back en route to a 76-34 victory.

Lamson had a game-high 26 points, 11 different Stags got in the scoring column and Cheverus completed its regular season at 13-5, dropping Portland to 4-14 in the process.

“We’ve been working on moving the ball better and I think Portland plays good defense, so for us to move the ball like that and score makes me happy going into playoffs,” said Stags coach Billy Goodman.

Roller coaster

After the departure of 2024 Miss Mane Basketball Maddie Fitzpatrick and postseason hero Ruth Boles, Cheverus found itself a team with many question marks this winter. While the Stags have stumbled at times, they’ve also put forth stretches of terrific basketball.

Cheverus opened by downing visiting Deering (59-16), host Bonny Eagle (68-29), host Portland (59-36), visiting South Portland (57-47), host Bangor (61-35) and visiting Windham (61-41). After a 47-44 home loss to Scarborough, the Stags lost at home to Edward Little (45-40), then at Gorham in a state game rematch (62-46). Cheverus got back on track with a 60-32 win at Thornton Academy, then held off visiting Sanford (61-51). After a loss at Oxford Hills (50-29), the Stags got back in the win column with a 48-25 victory at Deering, then held off host Windham, 52-39. before avenging an earlier loss with a 56-42 win at Scarborough. Last Friday, Cheverus couldn’t hold a halftime lead and lost at surging South Portland, 59-47, but Tuesday, the Stags had no trouble with visiting Lewiston, 64-36.

Portland, meanwhile, under new coach Joe Johnson, started with losses to visiting Bangor (51-36), host Scarborough (48-31) and visiting Cheverus (59-36). After a 36-32 home win over Deering, the Bulldogs fell at Windham (44-23), at home to Massabesic (35-24) and at Sanford (54-41). After beating host Lewiston (58-54), Portland was beaten by visiting South Portland (53-30) and host Bangor (56-47). The Bulldogs downed host Deering for a second time, 34-22, then fell at home to Oxford Hills (63-39), at home to Thornton Academy (39-38) and at Biddeford (66-29). A second win over Lewiston, this time at home (42-29), was followed by setbacks at home to Edward Little (54-23) and Tuesday at South Portland (58-23).

In the teams’ first meeting, way back on Dec. 13, Lamson went off for 30 points in the Stags’ victory. Yugu paced Portland with 18 points.

This one was scheduled to be played Thursday, but predicted bad weather moved it up 25 hours.

The Bulldogs were hoping for their first win over Cheverus since Feb. 10, 2021 (60-53), but instead, on their Senior Night, the Stags made it 10 straight victories in the series.

Cheverus senior Lia Umland sinks an early free throw during the Stags’ 76-34 victory over visiting Portland Wednesday. Hoffer photos.

Cheverus started four seniors, traditional starter Rachel Feeley, along with Evelyn Rush, Lia Umland and Eliana White, and two Umland foul shots opened the scoring nine seconds in.

Yugu answered with a 3 and what proved to be the Bulldogs’ lone lead of the night.

With 6:56 left in the opening stanza, Lamson stole the ball and made a layup and the Stags went back in front.

After Lamson sank a 3 from the corner, she made another layup after a steal for a 9-3 advantage.

Portland crept back, as Yugu made two free throws and after sophomore Addison Jordan sank a pair for the hosts, Yugu set up freshman Fasika West for a long jumper, senior Libby Kane knocked down a jump shot, then with 8.8 seconds on the clock, Yugu converted a contested shot to make the score 11-11 after eight minutes.

And then, Cheverus ran away and hid.

Just 16 seconds into the second period, Jordan fed Kelly for a layup and the Stags were on top to stay.

The next time down the floor, Jordan snared an offensive rebound and kicked the ball out to Kelly who sank a 3.

With 7:07 to go in the frame, Lamson drained a long 3 while being fouled, then she added the and-one free throw for a four-point play.

“That felt great,” said Lamson. “I can’t remember the last time I had one of those.”

The onslaught continued, as Feeley fed Lamson for a fastbreak layup, then Lamson scored on a putback to cap a 13-0 run in just two minutes time.

Out of a timeout, Portland got a point back at the line, courtesy a free throw from Yugu, but Kelly converted an old-fashioned three-point play (layup, foul, free throw), junior Anna Goodman drained a 3-ball from the corner, junior Emme Peters followed with a 3-pointer and Jordan made consecutive transition layups.

A Yugu 3 in the final minute only cut Cheverus’ lead to 37-15 at the break.

Lamson had 15 points, five rebounds and four steals in the first half alone, helping negate 11 points from Yugu.

The Stags never allowed the Bulldogs to make a run in the second half.

Cheverus senior Rachel Feeley passes the ball away from Portland senior Baleria Yugu.

Umland began the second half with a 3 and after Yugu drove for a layup, White took a pass from Rush and made a 3-pointer.

Yugu got two points back after a spin move, but Lamson countered with seven points in 66 seconds, draining two free throws, banking home a shot, then taking a pass from Jordan and sinking a 3 to make it 50-19.

After junior Lili McCullum got three points back for the Bulldogs, Feeley drove for a layup and Jordan hit two foul shots.

Yugu then made a layup and set up freshman Lawino Bendasta for a layup off an inbounds set, but Jordan answered with a three-point play.

After Yugu drained a 3, McCullum added a free throw and Yugu made a layup after a steal, but a pair of free throws from sophomore Emilie Umland put the Stags in front, 59-32, heading to the final stanza.

Where Cheverus finished it off.

Lamson fed Jordan for a layup to start the period and after Yugu knocked down a jumper for her final points, Lamson took a pass from Kelly on a give-and-go and made a layup, then in a beautiful transition sequence where the ball never hit the floor, Lamson set up Feeley for a layup.

“Our fastbreak just clicked, said Lamson. “Everyone was having fun and smiling. Everything was going right.”

After Lamson made two free throws for her final points, freshman Holly Irahoza drove and made a layup, sophomore Maddy Nalls sank a free throw and White buried consecutive 3-pointers for the exclamation point as the Stags rolled, 76-34.

“It feels great,” said Lamson. “I feel like everything in that game went well. Our defense was amazing. Our offense was great. Even if shots didn’t go in, our energy stayed up and we had fun. We were playing for something. The seniors mean a lot to me. It’s great to have their energy. After the SoPo loss, I didn’t know what would happen from there, but we bounced back the last two nights. It’s a great way to end the season. We’ve learned a lot and tonight, we put it all together.”

“We had different lineups in the first quarter and Portland played well,” Billy Goodman said. “Second quarter, we had girls in who are familiar playing together. They moved the ball great and the energy was up for the seniors. The second period was good, but we moved the ball great all game.”

Lamson was stellar yet again, scoring 26 points and adding seven rebounds, five steals and two assists.

“Kylie was moving the ball nicely, but when she got it back, she was an efficient scorer,” Billy Goodman said. “She’s been rebounding, scoring and giving us assists. I’m very pleased with her.”

Jordan added 13 points, five steals, four assists and two rebounds.

White made three 3s for nine points.

“Everyone was cheering me on and I felt the energy,” White said. “I don’t know how the shots went in, but they did. Senior Night meant a lot. Starting was really cool. It was great to be with the other seniors. We’re all friends. The team was super-supportive. The energy was just great and I loved it. My time here has meant a lot. I haven’t always played a lot, but I always felt included. This team means a lot to me..”

“Eliana is one of the best shooters I’ve seen,” Billy Goodman said.

Kelly tallied eight points, four rebounds and two assists, while Lia Umland had five points, Anna Goodman and Peters three apiece, Irahoza and Emilie Umland two each and Nalls one (to go with five rebounds).

In all, 11 different players scored.

Rush didn’t finish with a point, but she wound up with seven rebounds, to go with four steals and a couple of assists.

“The (reserves) do well in practice,” Billy Goodman said. “I was happy they could show everyone how good they are. Evelyn has been great the last couple games. She works hard. Her rebounding is just outstanding.”

Cheverus made 10 3-pointers to Portland’s four, enjoyed a 39-33 rebounding advantage, made a superb 16-of-17 free throws and only turned the ball over 12 times (with just six coming in the first three quarters).

Yugu was the star for Portland, as usual, tallying 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

“If we play well, it’s because of (Baleria),” Johnson said. “She scored 24 points and only played three quarters. She’s one of the best players in the league. She’s not only a great player, but a great kid.”

McCullum added four points (and three rebounds) and Bendasta (seven rebounds, three blocked shots), Kane (six rebounds) and West finished with two points apiece.

The Bulldogs made 4-of-8 free throws and were doomed by 27 turnovers.

“We already played (Cheverus) once and I knew what they wanted to do, create turnovers,” Johnson said. “We managed their pressure in the first quarter, then we got in our own way in the second quarter and threw the ball to the wrong jersey. (Lamson’s) a top player. She can get her shot off and that’s why we tried some different things defensively to try and hang around, but once they made 3s, we had to change our strategy.”

On to the quarterfinals

Portland will be the No. 6 seed for the Class AA North tournament and expects to go to No. 3 Edward Little (11-6 entering its finale Friday versus Lewiston) for the quarterfinals next week.

The Red Eddies won the teams’ lone regular season meeting, 54-23, Jan. 28 in Portland. The Bulldogs have won four of five prior playoff meetings, with a 58-25 win in the 2020 quarterfinals the most recent, but this time around, Portland will be a decided underdog.

With nothing to lose.

“Right now, we’re 0-0,” said Johnson. “I told the girls they gave me something to work with the first quarter (tonight), so now they have to give me that for four quarters.”

Cheverus will be the No. 2 seed and will host either Lewiston (3-14 entering its final game) in the quarterfinals next week.

The Stags won the regular season meeting by 28 and captured the lone prior playoff encounter, 57-35, in last year’s semifinals.

Cheverus is happy to let top-ranked Oxford Hills wear the bullseye this time around.

The Stags believe when all is said and done, they have just as good a chance as anyone to bring home another Gold Ball.

“I think we just need to take this energy into the playoffs,” White said. “We’ll work really hard and focus.”

“We have to play how we played tonight,” Lamson said. “We need to have that energy going into the playoffs. I’m excited.”

“We’re very proud to be second and we also know we’re in a very tough division,” added Billy Goodman. “Every game will be tough. We’ll have to play our best to compete in the playoffs. We need to do what we did tonight. Play defense and move the ball. If everyone does their job, I feel like we’ll have a chance.”

BOX SCORE

Cheverus 76 Portland 34

P- 11 4 17 2- 34
C- 11 26 22 17- 76

P- Yugu 9-3-24, McCullum 1-1-4, Bendasta 1-0-2, Kane 1-0-2, West 1-0-2

C- Lamson 9-5-26, Jordan 4-5-13, White 3-0-9, Kelly 3-1-8, L. Umland 1-2-5, Feeley 2-0-4, Goodman 1-0-3, Peters 1-0-3, Irahoza 1-0-2, E. Umland 0-2-2, Nalls 0-1-1

3-pointers
P (4) Yugu 3, McCullum
C (10) Lamson, White 3, Goodman, Kelly, Peters, L. Umland

Turnovers:
P- 27
C- 12

Free throws
P: 4-8
C: 16-17