SCARBOROUGH—You simply can’t quantify the heart of a champion.

And the championship heart of Windham’s boys’ basketball team is something to behold.

Tuesday evening at Alumni Gymnasium, the Eagles, the two-time reigning state champions, appeared to have little chance against host Scarborough in a midseason Class A South showdown.

But despite being down senior standout A.J. Moody and trailing by 17 points at halftime, Windham found a way to rise off the deck once more and produce yet another inspirational victory.

The Red Storm scored the game’s first eight points and thanks to a 3-pointer just before the horn from senior captain Carter Blanche, led, 14-7, after eight minutes.

Things went from bad to worse in the second period for the Eagles, as Scarborough closed the half on a 14-4 run, capped by another Blanche 3-ball, to enjoy a 32-15 advantage at the break.

But as it turned out, Windham had the Red Storm right where they wanted them.

Senior standout Tyrie James, who managed just two free throws in the first half, set the tone for the comeback when the third quarter commenced, scoring six points in less than two minutes. A 3-pointer from junior reserve Luke Drottar pulled the Eagles within two, but as time wound down, Scarborough senior sharpshooter Adam Fitzgerald answered with a 3 of his own to make the score 41-36 with eight minutes to play.

Windham drew within a point at 44-43 on a 3-pointer from sophomore Boston Krainis, but the next six points went to the Red Storm to seemingly put a stake in the Eagles’ heart.

But instead, Windham finished the game on an 11-1 run.

It took until 28 seconds remained for the Eagles to finally go on top, on a James bank shot.

Then, after a Scarborough miss, James sank two free throws with 15 seconds left.

The Red Storm would have a good look at a 3 to force overtime, but senior captain Landon Garriepy’s bid was just off-target and improbably, Windham prevailed, 54-51.

James led all scorers with 22 points, 20 coming in the second half, and the Eagles improved to 8-1 with their seventh consecutive victory and in the process, dropped Scarborough to 5-3.

“There’s no rah-rah with these guys,” said Windham coach Chad Pulkkinen. “It’s just being who we are. I say to the guys all the time that I believe in the five on the floor. I believe in the guys who play and the guys who don’t. We have extreme confidence in all of them. We rely on everybody and when you can do that, it creates havoc on the other team.”

Never over til it’s over

Windham’s pedigree is well known and the Eagles have been nearly perfect so far this winter.

Windham started with a 73-71 win at Thornton Academy in its first game, then lost its home opener to Sanford (68-60) before bouncing back for a 78-42 victory at Marshwood. After an impressive 66-53 home win over Westbrook, the Eagles rallied from a big deficit to beat host Portland (57-50), then they defeated visiting Cheverus (64-45), dominated visiting Massabesic, 101-31, and most recently, pulled away in the fourth quarter to down visiting South Portland in a state game rematch, 68-53.

Scarborough, meanwhile, has lived up to billing as a top contender as well, a team that can beat anyone when its shots are falling.

The Red Storm started quickly by beating visiting Gorham (51-36), host Cheverus (57-43) and visiting Kennebunk (55-41). After dropping an overtime decision at Thornton Academy (67-63) and falling at home to Sanford (61-53), Scarborough bounced back with an 85-46 home win over Noble and most recently, shot lights-out to beat visiting Portland, 65-51.

Last year, the Red Storm gave visiting Windham a scare before the Eagles prevailed, 73-70.

Tuesday, Scarborough sought its first victory over Windham since Feb. 1, 2019 (64-41 at home), but instead, the Eagles roared back from a bleak situation and made it three straight over the Red Storm.

But it took all 32 minutes to do so.

The first eight points went to the home team.

Garriepy got the scoring started by spinning to his left, then getting a leaner to rattle home.

After Fitzgerald drained a long 3-pointer, senior captain EJ Herrick made a free throw before a driving layup from senior captain Will MacDonald made the score 8-0 with 3:51 to go in the first period.

Windham got off the schneid 12 seconds later, as Janvrin set up junior Landon Wyman for a 3-pointer from the corner.

Krainis then hit two free throws before Janvrin rebounded a missed shot and missed his putback attempt, but got the rebound and put it home to cut the deficit to just one point.

But it would be Scarborough finishing the period in style, as Fitzgerald stole the ball, then pulled up and drained a 3 before Blanche took a pass from junior Carter Ryan and made a 3 of his own, just before the horn, for a 14-7 advantage.

The Red Storm then opened up what seemed to be a comfortable lead in the second stanza.

After Janvrin drove for a layup 38 seconds in, Garriepy drove and managed to bank home a shot from a different angle. Herrick then drove for a layup to make the score 18-9.

Janvrin countered with a driving layup, but Blanche drove for a layup, then MacDonald hit a runner in the lane to put the advantage to double digits before Herrick inbounded to Blanche for a corner 3 and a 25-11 lead.

Janvrin answered by collecting a loose ball along the baseline and driving for a reverse layup.

But after MacDonald drove for a layup and James scored his first points, two free throws with 1:49 on the clock, Scarborough closed the half in style, getting a runner in the lane from MacDonald.

Followed by another long, buzzer-beating 3 from Blanche to make the score 32-15 at halftime.

Blanche led all first half scorers with 11 points and MacDonald added eight points. Janvrin kept Windham’s hopes alive with eight points and nine rebounds.

The Eagles quickly reminded everyone that the game was far from over when the second half commenced.

And not surprisingly, it was James leading the way.

Forty seconds into the third quarter, James drove for a layup and his first field goal of the night.

He was then whistled for his third foul, but he stayed on the floor and never picked up a fourth.

Off an inbounds set, sophomore Sean LeBel set up James for a layup and after Garriepy scored on a putback, James scored on a runner in the lane, then LeBel eluded a defender with a pretty move and scored with an up-and-under shot to cut the deficit to 34-23.

With 4:42 to go in the frame, LeBel drove for another layup, forcing Scarborough coach Phil Conley to call timeout.

It helped, as Garriepy set up Blanche for a backdoor layup.

Garriepy then hit a jumper in the lane for a 13-point advantage, but the Eagles rattled off 11 straight points to make things most interesting.

The surge began with a Janvrin bank shot after a nice spin move.

Janvrin then set up Wyman for a layup and after a Wyman steal, Krainis found James for a 3-pointer in transition to cut the deficit to 38-32.

“It wasn’t the best start and (the Red Storm) were energetic going to the half, but Coach reminded us to play within ourselves and not try to force everything,” James said. “I just let it come to me. I knew my teammates would get me the ball back when I moved off it and it just happened. I didn’t need to pick up my scoring, but collectively we did.”

Out of a timeout, Janvrin was fouled after a steal and made one of two free throws, then with 40.5 seconds on the clock, LeBel got the ball to Drottar on the wing for a 3 which made it a two-point contest.

But just when it appeared the Eagles had all the momentum, a Fitzgerald 3-pointer gave Scarborough a 41-36 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.

Where, ultimately, the Red Storm couldn’t hold Windham off.

Just 11 seconds into the fourth period, James knocked down a 3-pointer.

After a missed Fitzgerald 3 at the other end, Garriepy got the offensive rebound and got a putback to rattle home.

After Blanche and Janvrin traded free throws, Krainis hit a clutch 3 with 5:01 on the clock and just like that, for the first time since the first period, the Eagles were within a single point, 44-43.

After a missed 3 by Blanche, Windham had a chance to take its first lead, but instead, it turned the ball over and that proved costly, as Garriepy made a free throw, Garriepy set up Blanche for a 3, then with 3:06 remaining, after a Garriepy steal, MacDonald drove and made a layup to seemingly restore order, making the score 50-43.

But the Eagles would rise off the deck one final time and close the game on a decisive run.

After James scored on a floater in the lane with 2:50 left, LeBel made a free throw.

Garriepy got a point back at the line with 1:58 remaining, making it 51-46, but the Red Storm wouldn’t score again.

Eleven seconds later, Janvrin put home his own miss and it was a one-possession contest again.

Then with 1:17 showing, James was fouled and drained both attempts to cut the deficit to a single point, 51-50.

Windham then turned up its pressure defense and was rewarded, as Janvrin stole the ball.

“They looked to pass middle and I baited them out a little bit and just took it.” said Janvrin.

“We went into a 2-2-1 (zone) for the first time and (Scarborough) got a little nervous,” Pulkkinen said. “Colin’s 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan and he was able to get the steal for us. He’s an incredible player.”

James missed a go-ahead 3-point attempt, but Krainis grabbed the critical offensive rebound and with 50 seconds to go, Pulkkinen called timeout.

The Eagles would go ahead on the ensuing possession, but it took some time before James finally got enough space to race into the lane before banking home a shot with 28.1 seconds to go, good for a 52-51 lead.

Windham’s first of the evening.

“We practice those situations, but that was not the play that was called,” James said. “We were just going to take whatever they gave us. It could have been anyone. When space opens up, you’re supposed to attack it.”

“He had space, he read it before it was there and it was a beautiful Tyrie take that we see him do every day in practice,” said Pulkkinen. “He’s a leader and a winner. Those moments don’t faze him.”

Fitzgerald tried to put Scarborough back in front at the other end, as he got to the rim, but he couldn’t finish a layup attempt (the Red Storm pleaded for a foul, but none was called).

Drottar got the rebound and quickly passed to James, who was fouled with 15.4 seconds on the clock.

James would sink his first attempt, then made his second as well to make it a three-point lead.

“Free throws are huge,” said James. “We practice them and hope to hit them in the clutch.”

Scarborough got a chance to tie the score and send the game to overtime and Garriepy, after taking a pass from Fitzgerald, had a decent look, but his shot was just short.

“We were pretty much focused on stopping them from scoring a 3 and it worked out,” said Janvrin.

“We just had to play strong defense,” James said. “We couldn’t foul.”

“We knew it wasn’t over,” Pulkkinen added. “We couldn’t foul them because they could make a four-point play. We took away their top two options. They had to go to another option. If they tied the game, they’d tie the game, but we executed really well.”

“We did have a good look,” Conley lamented. “It shouldn’t have come down to that look.”

Wyman grabbed the rebound and the clock wound down to zero, allowing the Eagles to celebrate their dramatic come-from-behind, 54-51 victory.

“These are great games to be a part of,” said James. “I just love being in close games. We were down 16 against Portland and down 17 here at half, but it shows we can fight through any adversity that hits us. Shots weren’t falling, we weren’t moving the ball well. We changed it up in the second half and used the momentum to help us.”

“Scarborough’s a really good team and we had a really big deficit, but this shows how much grit our team has,” Janvrin said. “No matter how hard it gets, we’ll fight.”

“We’ve had experience coming back and we knew we couldn’t come back in one possession,” added Pulkkinen. “We had to get one stop and add them up. It just says we’re a team. Guys wanted to step up. We try to share the basketball and attack with five guys on the floor.”

James led all scorers with 22 points, as 20 came after halftime.

“We just had to find opportunities for him,” said Pulkkinen. “He does a great job being patient. In the first half, he helped his teammates get great shots but we didn’t knock them down. Tyrie is the best decision-maker I’ve ever coached and that makes him a great basketball player.”

Janvrin was sensational, producing a double-double of 13 points and 16 rebounds, while also producing two assists and two steals.

LeBel had six points, six rebounds and two assists.

Boston, who started for Moody, tallied five points and two rebounds, Wyman had five points, two rebounds and two steals and Drottar added three points and four rebounds off the bench.

The Eagles had a 31-27 advantage on the glass, made 11-of-14 free throws and overcame 16 turnovers.

Scarborough was led by Blanche’s 17 points. He also had four rebounds.

Garriepy just missed on a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds. He also had four steals and three assists.

MacDonald had 10 points, Fitzgerald nine (to go with eight rebounds) and Herrick three (to go with four rebounds and two assists before fouling out).

The Red Storm turned the ball over 14 times and made just 4-of-13 foul shots.

“This was definitely a tough game,” Conley said. “It was a tale of two halves. I thought we played a great first half. We didn’t execute offensively or defensively in the second half. We have to make those foul shots, but it wasn’t just foul shots. We didn’t execute in the second half like we needed to. We didn’t stop their run. We needed a basket or a defensive stop and we didn’t get it, so credit to Windham. We just have to put two solid halves together.”

Quick turnaround

Scarborough (now ranked fourth in the Class A South Heal Points standings) is back in action Thursday at winless Massabesic.

“We can’t hang our heads,” Conley said. “We have to come to practice tomorrow and practice hard and I think the guys will. We can always take positives, even out of a loss. It’s a tough league. We have to get ready for Thursday.”

Windham (second to Sanford in Class A South) is back in action at Gorham Saturday.

“We have to keep going hard every day at practice and keep getting better and better,” said Janvrin.

“We’re not going to win a championship now,” James said. “We’ve got to work on getting one percent better every day.”

“They’re coachable kids, a great group,” added Pulkkinen. “I’m proud of them. I think there’s still a lot we can improve.”

BOX SCORE

Windham 54 Scarborough 51

W- 7 8 21 18- 54
S- 14 18 9 10- 51

W- James 7-6-22, Janvrin 6-1-13, LeBel 2-2-6, Boston 1-2-5, Wyman 2-0-5, Drottar 1-0-3

S- Blanche 6-1-17, Garriepy 5-2-12, MacDonald 5-0-10, Fitzgerald 3-0-9, Herrick 1-1-3

3-pointers
W (4) James 2, Boston, Drottar, Wyman
S (7) Blanche 4, Fitzgerald 3

Turnovers:
W- 16
S- 14

Free throws
W: 11-14
S: 4-13

Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffersports@yahoo.com