BRUNSWICK

The biggest question running rampant throughout the Brunswick High School gymnasium prior to Friday night’s much-anticipated Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference contest was just how good are the defending Class A champion and preseason Eastern A top dog Hampden Academy Broncos?

For Todd Hanson’s Dragons, this was a benchmark game, a look into figuring out if Brunswick’s 2-0 start was for real or if his squad was going to turn out to be just another victim for the high-powered Broncos, who came in averaging 85 points in their first two contests, both easy wins over northern neighbors Brewer and Bangor.

A double-overtime 65-54 Hampden win showed the packed gym representing both teams that the Dragons and Broncos are a good matchup.

“Hampden’s reputation speaks for itself, and they’re a hard enough team to beat over 32 minutes, let alone over 40,” said Hanson, whose Dragons are 2-1 and host Lewiston tonight at 7 p.m. “Our guys gave it their all, but just ran out of gas in the overtime. We played seven kids, and they laid it on the line tonight.”

The Broncos (3-0) received 20 points and 14 rebounds from Zach Gilpin and made nine of 10 free throws in the second four-minute extra period after Hampden struggled to a five-for-12 showing at the charity stripe in regulation. And, much to coach Russ Bartlett’s dismay, Hampden turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 20 times.

“They turned us over. Last game against Bangor we had seven turnovers, where today we had 12 turnovers at halftime, and our ball security was really poor,” said Bartlett, whose squad visits Messalonskee on Tuesday to complete a season-opening four-game road swing. “We got a little bit of separation in the second overtime and finally made our foul shots.”

Close first half

In a back-and-forth first quarter, the teams finished deadlocked, 11-11. Gilpin sank a free throw early in the second, but Brunswick responded with a 6-0 run, all from Dragons standout Blake Gordon, who had 10 first-half points.

Brunswick twice stretched its advantage to five points in the third quarter, but the Dragons went cold as the Broncos warmed up. Isaiah Bess scored seven points as Hampden claimed a 39-37 advantage heading to the final frame. And, Bess did the job defensively as well, limiting Gordon to just two points in the quarter.

Brunswick missed 11 consecutive shots, with Gilpin’s putback giving the Broncos a 42-37 lead with 7:10 remaining in regulation.

Hanson called a timeout, and his team returned to the floor intent on turning their fortunes around.

Derek Devereaux drained a pair of quick 3-pointers off an assist each from Gordon and Brady Larson for a 43-42 lead, and Gordon found some rare space and hit a jumper to complete an 8-0 run over a 45-second span, forcing Bartlett to call a timeout.

“We made shots,” said Devereaux.

Devereaux connected again, scoring eight fourthquarter points as part of his 15-point performance.

Trailing 47-44 with 1:46 left, Cam Scott scored his first basket and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but his team was down by just one point. On Hampden’s next possession, Brunswick’s Elliot Boyd (six points, 11 rebounds, two blocked shots) fouled out and Gilpin made one of two at the line to tie the game.

Hampden had a chance to win it in regulation, but Gilpin’s shot missed the mark.

“We knew coming in here it was going to be a great game, with Brunswick being a great team,” said Gilpin.

In the first overtime, Larson was left alone and scored on a reverse lay-up for a 49-47 lead. Gilpin made two free throws to tie it, but Ryan Black finished off a Larson pass to restore Brunswick’s two-point lead, 51-49.

Hampden refused to fold as Matt Martin scored in the paint. Gilpin had another chance to end it, but on his way to the basket he ran over a Brunswick defender for a foul, giving the Dragons a chance with six seconds left. Gordon had a brief look at the basket, with Bess getting a hand up at the last second to alter Gordon’s shot. Alex Bandouveres reached up and tipped the ball toward the rim, but the ball bounced away at the horn to force a second overtime.

“I took a bad shot at the end of the first overtime, something that almost came back to bite us,” said Gilpin.

The Broncos took control in the second overtime, getting a pair of free throws from Bess to begin a 6-0 run for a 57-51 lead. Gordon drained a 3- pointer with 2:10 left, but Bess answered from long distance to restore the six-point lead, and Scott made five of six at the line to close out the 65-54 Hampden win.

“We’re not happy with the loss, but we told our guys that we need to use this as a building block to get better and just keep improving,” said Hanson.

“We fought back and played well until the last overtime,” added Devereaux.

Hampden was 22 of 60 (36 percent) from the floor and finished 16 of 24 from the free-throw line. The Broncos held a 37-27 rebounding advantage. Bess had 18 points and four steals, Martin eight points and five rebounds, Brendan McIntyre eight points and five boards, and Scott seven points, six rebounds and three assists.

For Brunswick, Gordon had 16 points and four steals, and Black eight points. The Dragons shot 34 percent (23 of 66) and made four of five at the charity stripe.

Hampden 65,
Brunswick 54

Friday, at Brunswick

Hampden—1113158414—65
Brunswick—1116101043—54

Hampden — Nick Gilpin 1-2-4,
Cam Scott 1-5-7, Brendan McIntyre
4-0-8, Zach Gilpin 6-7-20, Isaiah
Bess 7-0-18, Jake Black 0-0-0,
Matt Martin 3-2-8. Totals — 22-16-
65.
Brunswick — Blake Gordon 7-2-
16, Derek Devereaux 6-0-15, Alex
Bandouveres 2-0-4, Ryan Black 3-
2-8, Elliot Boyd 3-0-6, Pearson
Cost 1-0-2, Brady Larson 1-0-2.
Totals — 23-4-54.
3-point field goals — (H) Bess 4,
Z. Gilpin; (B) Devereaux 3, Gordon.
Records — Hampden Academy 3-
0, Brunswick 2-1.
Up next for Brunswick — Tonight
at home against Lewiston, 7 p.m.