by Sam CanfieldMarch 2, 2024Updated 19 hours ago
PORTLAND, Maine — The Windham boys basketball team won an action-packed battle of wills with Gorham in the Class AA state championship game, losing grip of a 23-7 first quarter lead but ultimately holding strong for a 62-58 win in overtime at the Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday night.
It was Windham’s first boys basketball state title in school history.
Windham, the No. 1 seed from AA North, finished the year 19-2. Gorham, the No. 1 seed from the South, wound up 18-3.
Having climbed back to a 32-27 lead halfway through the third quarter, all momentum appeared to be in Gorham’s hands, but Windham remained unfazed, using an and-one play from sophomore guard Tyrie James to help retake a 38-37 lead headed into the fourth.
After four more lead changes in the fourth (regulation ended 49-49 with a Windham defensive stop) and three more in overtime, the Eagles finally pulled away with eight seconds remaining, as sophomore Adrian Moody nailed two free throws to seal it.
“This is the best game I’ve ever been a part of — I asked the guys on the bench if I was dreaming,” nine-year Windham head coach Chad Pulkkinen said. “This is one the most resilient teams I’ve coached; they respond every time. We knew it was going to be a fight, and we had to work our butts off to win.”
Gorham senior point guard and Maine McDonald’s All-star Gabe Michaud led all scorers with 27 points and four assists, fouling out in overtime. Fellow Maine McDonald’s All-star Caden Smith finished with three 3-pointers and eight rebounds for the Rams, and junior center Griffin Gammon tacked on 15 more points.
Four different Windham Eagles finished with double digit points: senior forward Quinton Lindsay (10 points, four assists), junior forward Creighty Dickson (14 points, nine rebounds), and sophomore guards James (15) and Moody (12).
Windham seniors Blake McPherson and Erik Bowen combined for 11 additional points, including a huge 3-pointer for McPherson on Windham’s second overtime possession.
“It starts with our seniors, they’re super unselfish,” Pulkkinen said. “Our young guys are very good too. I’m proud of the [whole] group; I’ve asked a lot out of these guys. It’s unbelievable.”
Back on Jan. 15 at Gorham, the Rams turned a 25-24 halftime deficit into a resounding 67-40 rout of Windham, ending the Eagles’ 10-game winning streak to start the season. On Saturday night, Gorham appeared to be pulling away again — with a Gammon slam dunk through contact really riling up the Gorham crowd halfway through the third — but the Eagles were confident they could reel the Rams back in this time around.
“We knew that they’re a very, very good team, and they’re gonna go on runs,” Bowen said. “We just stayed together, kept battling, and took it one possession at a time. It was a very physical, competitive game. We’ve cemented ourselves in Windham, and state, history — it feels special.”
