FREEPORT — Entering the night with a sub-.500 record and trailing Freeport by 15 points at halftime, the Cape Elizabeth boys’ basketball team showed something special on Tuesday night.

A pep talk from senior Aman Hagos and the return to action of foul-hampered senior Andrew Hartel sparked the Capers to a stunning rally, riding runs of 17-0 and 10-0 to a critical 46-43 win over the Falcons.

The Capers (6-6) went ahead to stay on Quinn Morse’s 3-point shot 13 seconds into the fourth quarter. After taking a nine-point lead, Freeport had the chance to force overtime, but Eriksen Shea’s game-tying 3-pointer hit the rim at the horn.

Freeport’s Gabe Wagner goes up for a shot while being pursued by Cape Elizabeth’s Quinn Morse.

“We’ve been struggling getting wins, but the kids showed guts and they showed courage and this helps us,” said Cape Elizabeth Coach Jim Ray.

Hartel picked up his second foul midway through the first quarter. Gabe Wagner made his second 3-pointer for Freeport, and Elias Thomas made a layup to put the Falcons up 11-4 after eight minutes.

Cape Elizabeth, which committed eight first-quarter turnovers, had five more in the second and the Falcons opened it up behind the Wagner brothers.

Gabe Wagner made three layups and Shea Wagner had four steals and a sensational blocked shot to help Freeport cap a 13-0 run for a 19-4 lead.

A 3-pointer from Nolan Smith pulled the Capers within 23-10, but Shea countered with a 3 of his own and the Falcons were in command, up 26-12 at halftime.

Hagos was the most productive player for Cape Elizabeth in the first half. At the break, he got his teammates refocused.

Cape Elizabeth’s Andrew Hartell finds some space between Freeport’s Gabe Wagner, left, and Shea Wagner.

“I knew my team was determined and we had it in our hearts,” Hagos said. “I told the team we could still do it.”

Then, the Capers roared back.

Gabe Wagner hit a 3-pointer to open the second half, but the Capers scored the next 17 points as Hartel sparked the comeback with easy layups and dominance on the glass.

A Nate Mullen basket tied the game at 29 before Freeport seemed to regain momentum with a Shea Wagner jumper and a 3-pointer from Shea. But just before buzzer, Mullen banked home a 3 to pull the Capers within 34-32.

Just 13 seconds into the fourth quarter, Morse (14 points) made a 3 to give Cape Elizabeth its first lead. Mullen (10 points) and Morse added layups and Morse hit another 3.

Cape Elizabeth’s Quinn Morse reacts as a missed pass sails out of bounds.

A Hartel layup with 1:44 to go gave the Capers a 46-37 lead, but the Falcons finished strong only to see Shea’s shot at the horn miss the target.

“I watched that shot the whole way and I trusted it wasn’t going in,” said Hartel, who had 12 points, 12 rebounds and six steals. “This win gives us momentum down the stretch.”

Freeport was paced by 15 points from Gabe Wagner, but he picked up a technical foul during the Capers’ third-quarter run and didn’t return. Shea added 10 points, but the Falcons fell to 8-3.

“We’re immature and we’re inexperienced and that came through big time tonight,” said Freeport Coach Bill Ridge. “We’ve got Yarmouth for a boys’-girls’ doubleheader Friday. It’ll be packed and hopefully we’ll have the energy to come back.”

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