In a challenging spot in what’s been a challenging season, the Waterville boys basketball team came through at the right time Saturday evening.

After winning only once during the regular season, the Purple Panthers equaled that output in one postseason contest, beating Maine Central Institute in the Class B North play-in game 69-67 — and coming back from a 15-point deficit to do it.

“We got down big in the first half, and in the second half we just showed an incredible grit and determination,” Waterville coach Sam Smith said. “It was something we haven’t seen this year yet. … These kids just got in a zone, stepped up and played really, really incredible in the second half.”

Nick Poulin scored 25 points, hitting seven 3-pointers in the process, while Liam Von Oesen scored 19.

“Something that I’ve been preaching all year to these guys is, in sports, it’s all about belief versus doubt,” Smith said. “I’ve been trying to tell them that when the game starts, a team’s belief is high or a team’s doubt is high, and your job is to make the other team full of doubt and to keep your heart full of belief. These guys really got that tonight and got that message.”

In addition to scoring 47 second-half points, Waterville also made a defensive adjustment by switching to a 2-2-1 press to force more turnovers. With the Purple Panthers working well on both ends, they found the victory that had been eluding them.

“All year, we’ve had some close games. We only got blown out twice,” Smith said. “We’ve been right within the five- to 15-point range, and we just haven’t been able to turn the corner.”

The prize for the comeback is facing No. 1 and undefeated Ellsworth in the preliminary round, but Smith said his team isn’t intimidated.

“We’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “Nobody expects us to win that game, so we want to try to make a story, make a headline.”

 

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Gardiner junior Lizzy Gruber has another offer on the table.

The Tigers’ standout center received an offer from the United States Military Academy in West Point over the weekend, and now is up to at least five bids from Division I schools. According to her mother, Andrea, Gruber also has received offers from Maine, New Hampshire, Marist and Lafayette.

The 6-4 Gruber finished the regular season with averages of 18 points, 16.4 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game, leading the Tigers to a 16-2 record and the No. 2 seed in Class A North.

 

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Six games into the season, the Winthrop girls were 3-3 and idling to start the year. The Ramblers haven’t lost since then, and will take a 9-3 record and the fourth seed in the Class C South tournament into a preliminary round matchup with Boothbay on Wednesday.

“I think the biggest thing is we learned to grind out games,” coach John Baehr said. “After the Carrabec loss (in the sixth game), we talked about finishing games on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball. … I think the biggest thing is going through those learning curves. Just the small things of thinking, not just going 1,000 miles an hour but slowing your brain and feet down and executing.”

A key difference has been free throw shooting. The Ramblers’ fast-paced style of play forces teams to have to scramble to defend them, leading to fouls, and Winthrop has gotten better at getting to the line. Over the first six games, Winthrop averaged 27.8 foul shots a contest, and was shooting around 50 percent. Over the last six, the Ramblers averaged 34 per game, and shot 65 percent. They took 99 free throws over the last two games against Spruce Mountain and Madison.

Baehr said players shoot between 40 and 80 free throws every day at practice to prepare for those ones they’re going to have to advance in the tournament.

“That’s the mark,” he said. “I’d be stupid not to have us work on that, if we’re averaging almost 30 foul shots a game.”

 

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It’s a similar story with the Mount View boys, who after losing three straight games to fall to 5-5 have won eight straight to grab the fifth seed in Class B North.

Coach Jeremy Von Oesen said the team has found a rhythm after getting off to a slow start following limited reps before the first game.

“We came back after having no real preseason with our main group of kids because we had kids out for quarantine and with COVID,” he said. “(We got better) once we got things kind of re-situated and kids back going again.”

Mount View has beaten quality opponents during its late run, including 12-5 Winslow, 13-4 Oceanside and 9-8 Maranacook. Von Oesen said defense has been the key to the Mustangs being a tough matchup.

“I think one of our big reasons for success is a lack of having just one person,” he said. “It’s a complete team effort, game in and game out. Defensively, I think we play at kind of a different level than some of our opponents.”

The Mustangs don’t rely on pressure man-to-man or a zone defense, but instead adapt what they’re doing to fit the situation of the game.

“It’s a mix, and it changes from moment to moment,” Von Oesen said. “We can press man, we can press with zones, we can play a half-court trap. The kids are really smart kids. … Being able to implement things and change things on the fly is something that’s been going better and better for us.”

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