The Old Town boys basketball team beat archrival Orono in hair-raising fashion on Tuesday night, outlasting the reigning Class B state champs 56-54 at home in overtime.
Down 39-32 headed into the fourth quarter — and having trailed since midway through the first — the Coyotes went on a 10-2 run to keep their undefeated season alive, barely surviving two missed Orono putback layups at the end of regulation tied 45-45.
Packed to the rafters, Old Town’s Mackenzie Gymnasium was a deafening battleground of basketball teams and student sections alike, with overtime baskets from junior forward Emmitt Byther (17 points) and senior guard Aiden Gomm (14 points) bringing down the house as the Coyotes improved to 9-0 and handed Orono (8-2) its second consecutive loss.
“It was about taking it one possession at a time, and the mental approach of not letting the lead bury us,” Old Town head coach Garrett Libby said. “When the crowd goes like that, it’s a huge energy boost for our team.”
Seniors Grayson Thibeualt and Brendan Mahaney also tacked on 18 points and four assists for the Coyotes, and freshman wing Tyler Priest hit two clutch shots during Old Town’s fourth quarter run.
“We all knew coming into it that it was going to be a good one,” Mahaney said. “We practice these situations every day, and it always pays off.”
Coming off a 57-50 loss to Caribou (8-2) on the road, Orono fought hard to reclaim their No. 1 seed in the Class B North Heal Point standings, leading 24-18 at half.
Seniors Pierce Walston (13 points, seven assists, three steals) and Ben Francis (14 points, two assists) paced the Red Riots offense on Tuesday night. Junior Will Francis added 10 points and three steals.
“We knew they were a really good team, and know how to handle that pressure,” Walston said. “They finished the job, and credit to them. We had our chances to win, but didn’t capitalize.”
Orono head coach Ed Kohtala pointed out how friendly yet competitive the rivalry with Old Town has been in recent memory. Last year, the two sides beat one another on the road.
“It was a tremendous high school basketball environment, and a great game,” Orono head coach Ed Kohtala said. “It’s one of the healthiest rivalries I’ve ever been around. It’s like brothers playing against brothers.”
Next up, Orono will take on Chance Mercier’s Ellsworth Eagles (7-2) at home on Thursday, and Old Town will head to Hermon to play the Hawks (4-4). Orono and Old Town will meet again for the final game of their regular seasons, on Feb. 6 in Orono.
