Boothbay hangs on, defeats top-ranked Winthrop 55-51 in OT
The Boothbay Region Seahawks held on to defeat the Winthrop Ramblers in overtime, 55-51, Friday night despite losing top-scorer Glory Blethen, who left the game with just over five minutes to play. Blethen appeared to be ill and was helped out of the gym where she was attended to by Boothbay Region Ambulance Service attendants.
UPDATE: Blethen’s father and BRHS coach Brian Blethen said in an email on Saturday that Glory is fine. She was dehydrated and after being given fluids, she was released from Miles hospital and returned home.
The Seahawks, who improved to 13-2 and moved to the top spot above the now 12-2 Ramblers in Class C South, were leading by nine when Blethen exited the game. She had already scored a game-high 22 points. The Ramblers took advantage of the absence of the 6’2” center and eventually took a short-lived lead, 42-41. Both teams had chances to win in regulation but after 32 minutes, the game went into overtime tied, 44-44.
In the overtime, senior point guard Chloe Arsenault scored nine of Boothbay’s 11 points. She ended the game with 16.
Winthrop could only manage seven points in the extra frame as Boothbay tightened its defense down the stretch.
The Seahawks were in charge most of the game, leading by 17 at the half, 27-10, as the Ramblers were not hitting from the floor and Blethen, who had five or six blocks in the game, forced off-balanced shots by the Ramblers near the basket.
Winthrop cut Boothbay’s lead to 10 after three quarters, 39-29, with Aaliyah Wilson Falcone scoring eight of her team-leading 14 points in the quarter.
Junior guard Haley Abbott, filling in at the starting guard position for injured senior Madison Faulkingham, contributed nine points for the Seahawks. Senior guard Josey Smith added six points and junior forward Kyle Brown had two.
The win was Boothbay’s second over the Ramblers this season, having won in Winthrop, 51-49, on Jan. 8.
The Seahawks will next suit up and host Carrabec on Tuesday, Jan. 28. It will be the final home game of the season and for seniors Arsenault, Smith and Faulkingham.
