Waynflete junior Alex Saade is congratulated by junior Burr Rhoads late in the Flyers’ 64-57 overtime win over visiting Lake Region Friday.

Mike Strout photos.

More photos below.

BOX SCORE

Waynflete 64 Lake Region 57 (OT)

LR- 19 7 12 14 5- 57
W- 10 14 17 11 12- 64

LR- Chaine 4-5-14, Meyers 7-0-14, Chadwick 3-3-9, Mayo 2-5-9, Walker 2-0-6, Breton 1-1-4, Smith 0-1-1

W- Houssein 9-1-21, A. Mohamed 5-2-12, Saade 2-5-9, Dahia 3-0-7, Campbell 2-1-5, Brooks 2-0-4, M. Mohammed 2-0-4, Rhoads 1-0-2

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3-pointers:
LR (4) Walker 2, Breton, Chaine 1
W (3) Houssein 2, Dahia 1

Turnovers:
LR- 25
W- 17

Free throws
LR: 15-26
W: 9-20

PORTLAND—It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was another victory and the Waynflete boys’ basketball team has been producing its share of them of late.

Friday evening, the Flyers hosted the latest in a line of high-profile opponents, in this case, Class B South contender Lake Region, and 32 minutes weren’t enough to decide a winner, but Waynflete didn’t mind the game being extended.

The Lakers looked like they’d run the Flyers out of the gym in the first quarter, as senior True Meyers scored 10 points to help produce a 19-10 lead.

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Waynflete then turned up the defensive pressure in the second period and pulled with 26-24 at halftime.

The back and forth continued in the third quarter before the Flyers closed the frame on an 11-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from sophomore Askar Houssein, to take a 41-38 lead to the fourth period.

There, neither team led by more than four points and Waynflete couldn’t hold a late three-point lead, as Meyers made a layup and with 35 seconds to go, senior Ethan Chadwick tied the score with a free throw.

After Houssein missed a shot just before the horn, the game went to overtime.

There, Houssein scored seven quick points and the Flyers opened up a lead that this time, they wouldn’t relinquish, and they went on to a 64-57 victory.

Houssein led all scorers with 21 points as Waynflete won its eighth game in a row while improving to 11-3 and dropping Lake Region to 7-7 in the process.

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“It was a nice win,” said Waynflete coach Rich Henry. “I hope it’s a character-builder. Lake Region is very good. We try to take advantage of our depth and our athleticism with our press. We try not to give up hoops and we hope to eventually wear teams down.” 

Peaking

Waynflete is up to its usual tricks as a top Class C South contender.

The Flyers opened with a 50-47 loss at defending Class B champion Wells, then rolled at North Yarmouth Academy (67-24) and won at Traip Academy (71-52) and A.R. Gould (44-41). After home losses to Cape Elizabeth (46-38) and Yarmouth (54-53), Waynflete caught fire, dominating visiting Greater Portland Christian (88-19), winning at Sacopee Valley (79-35) and Old Orchard Beach (54-36), downing visiting Gray-New Gloucester (64-47) and Traip Academy (66-45) and beating host Poland (60-37) and Freeport (65-47). 

Lake Region, meanwhile, started 1-5, then won six of seven, including victories over defending Class B South champion Wells and Cape Elizabeth.

Last year, the teams met in Portland and the Lakers prevailed, 45-37

Friday, Lake Region looked to make it five straight wins in the series, but instead, Waynflete downed the Lakers for the first time since Dec. 13, 2012 (65-54).

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Meyers hinted at a big first quarter to come, when he made a layup off the opening tip, five seconds in. Meyers added a jump shot before the Flyers got on the board on a jump shot from junior Alex Saade.

The next six points went to Lake Region, as Meyers made another jumper, Chadwick hit a foul shot and senior Tristen Chaine buried a 3-pointer for a 10-2 lead.

Waynflete got a nice finger roll after a drive from sophomore Diraige Dahia, but Chaine made two free throws and Breton sank a 3 for a 15-4 Lakers’ advantage.

The Flyers would settle down and after Houssein entered the game, he made his presence felt with a bank shot and after a layup from Meyers, Houssein hit a fadeaway jumper, then made a layup to cut the deficit to seven. 

With 9.5 seconds on the clock, Meyers capped his 10-point frame with a jumper and Lake Region held a 19-10 lead after eight minutes.

When senior Paul Walker buried a 3-pointer for the Lakers just three seconds into the second period, it looked like the visitors were primed to break away, but they’d only score four more points before halftime and Waynflete got back in the game.

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A 3-ball from Dahia sparked the rally. After Saade made one free throw, he hit two more and with the fouls adding up on Lake Region, senior Abdi Mohamed made a free throw.

Junior Dawson Smith got a point back at the line for the Lakers, but Houssein set up junior Musaid Mohhamed for a layup, Houssein set up Abdi Mohamed for a layup and Mohamed added a foul shot to cut the deficit to one.

With 1:11 left in the half, Walker drained another 3, but 31 seconds later, Abdi Mohamed’s putback pulled the Flyers within two, 26-24, at halftime.

Meyers led all scorers with 10 points, but Waynflete stayed in the game thanks to forcing 14 turnovers.

Neither team could gain separation in the third quarter.

Just 11 seconds in, the Flyers drew even on a fadeaway jumper from senior Christian Brooks.

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Lake Region went back on top on two free throws from junior Mark Mayo, but a leaner from Saade tied the game again.

The Lakers then went on a 6-0 run, as Mayo scored on a putback, Chadwick made a layup and Chaine hit a jumper in the lane to make it 34-28.

Abdi Mohamed ended the run with a finger roll after a nice spin move, but Meyers made a layup and Chaine hit a jumper for a 38-30 advantage.

Waynflete then scored 11 points in the final 2:16 of the quarter to take the lead for the first time.

Abdi Mohamed got things started with a bank shot. Houssein and Musaid Mohammed added jumpers and Houssein set up Brooks for a layup to tie the game.

Then, with 3.6 seconds on the clock, Houssein’s 3-pointer gave the Flyers a 41-38 lead heading for what everyone expected to be the game’s final eight minutes.

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The Lakers quickly tied the game back up on a free throw from Mayo and a layup from Chadwick, but with 5:57 to play, a putback from Dahia put Waynflete back on top and a layup from freshman Dominick Campbell 46 seconds later made it 45-41.

Chadwick countered with a layup and Chaine drove for a layup to tie the game again with 4:37 to go, but 27 seconds later, Campbell scored on a putback while being fouled and he added the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play and a 48-45 Flyers’ advantage.

Lake Region roared right back, as Mayo sank two foul shots and Chaine did the same for a one-point lead with 3:01 to go, but 33 seconds later, junior Burr Rhoads scored his lone points of the game, a baseline jumper, to put Waynflete back on top.

When Houssein drove for a layup with 1:45 on the clock, it appeared the Flyers were on the verge of victory, but Meyers made a layup 31 seconds later and a free throw from Chadwick with 35 seconds to go tied the contest, 52-52.

Waynflete had a chance to win the game in regulation, but as time wound down, Houssein missed a shot and Brooks’ desperation putback was off-target, sending the game to overtime.

There, the Flyers seized control once and for all and notched another victory.

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In high school basketball overtime, teams play four extra minutes and it took all of nine seconds for Waynflete to go on top to stay, as Houssein spun in the lane and hit a shot for a 54-52 lead.

Lake Region got a point back on a Chaine free throw, but Abdi Mohamed scored on a putback.

After Mayo made a layup to again cut the deficit to one, Houssein hit a clutch 3 with 2:24 on the clock and 13 seconds later, Houssein stole the ball and made a layup for a 61-55 advantage.

“We talk to Askar about time and score situations and trying to move the ball,” Henry said. “He’s very competitive and I don’t want to stifle him too much.” 

After a pair of Chaine misses and a 3-point attempt from Breton that was off-target, Brooks got the rebound and with 1:09 to go, Saade extended the lead with two free throws.

Breton missed again and Houssein was fouled and he made one more free throw.

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That essentially ended it and even though the Lakers hit a couple late foul shots, Waynflete went on to an impressive 64-57 victory.

“We’re still a very young team,” said Henry. “Early in the season we were tested by our schedule. Once we settled down, we learned how we wanted to play. We want to be up-tempo and take advantage of our depth and we want to share the ball.” 

Houssein led all scorers with 21 points and he also had five steals and three assists.

Abdi Mohamed added 12 points (as well as six rebounds and three assists), Saade had nine (as well as six rebounds), Dahia seven, Campbell five, Brooks (10 rebounds) and Musaid Mohammed four apiece and Rhoads two.

The Flyers had a 39-33 rebounding advantage and overcame 9 of 20 foul shooting and 17 turnovers.

The Lakers were paced by 14 points apiece from Chaine (who also had five rebounds, four assists and three steals) and Meyers. Chadwick (five rebounds) and Mayo had nine points apiece, Walker added six, Breton finished with four and Smith had one.

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Lake Region turned the ball over 25 times and hit 15 of 26 free throws.

Looking to climb

Both teams are hoping to move up from their current standing in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Lake Region (now ninth in the Class B South Heals) has key games next week at Yarmouth and Freeport, then closes at home versus Fryeburg Academy and Yarmouth.

Waynflete (fifth in Class C South) hosts Sacopee Valley Tuesday, then has home games against Old Orchard Beach and A.R. Gould before closing at home versus NYA.

“All we can do is play the teams on our schedule,” Henry said. “It makes us better and we can always get better.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports

Waynflete senior Christian Brooks goes up for a layup over Lake Region senior Tyler Breton.

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Waynflete junior Alex Saade drives on Lake Region senior True Meyers.

Waynflete sophomore Diraige Dahia goes to the basket.

Waynflete senior Abdi Mohamed shoots over Lake Region senior True Meyers.

Waynflete junior Finn Scott splits Lake Region junior Mark Mayo, left, and senior Ethan Chadwick.

Lake Region senior True Meyers arrives too late to stop the drive of Waynflete sophomore Askar Houssein.


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