RUMFORD – The Mountain Valley boys have routinely started out struggling to find its groove, but things become quite different once the Falcons play with confidence.

Four players scored in double figures, led by center Jarod Oldham with 14 points, and a strong third quarter was the difference as the Falcons remained unbeaten with a 72-44 win against Monmouth Tuesday night.

The game was extremely competitive for one half as Monmouth trailed by one point, but Mountain Valley deployed a stifling defense and outscored the Mustangs 19-2 in the third quarter.

Monmouth were successful on four of 21 shots in the second half.

Mountain Valley (13-0) broke the game open by scoring 14 unanswered points in the second half to take an insurmountable 46-31 lead. Marcus Palmer (11 points) and Zach Fergola each drained 3-pointers, while Matt McCann (nine points, 12 rebounds), Isaac Stickney and Oldham (seven rebounds) controlled the low post.

Matt Gatcomb scored Monmouth lone basket with 2:10 left in the third quarter.

“We had trouble against their zone throughout the first half,” said the Falcons’ Byron Glaus. “So, we went into the locker room a little discouraged. Coach (Ryan Casey) would have none of that, so he told us to start penetrating with the ball and dishing off to an open man. At the same time, we needed to crash the boards.”

Monmouth (2-11) put all its offense on the shoulders of Mark Wade, who scored 23 of a game-high 27 points in the first half. Wade scored nine straight points to give the Mustangs a 27-23 lead.

Mountain Valley roared back as Glaus (11 points) buried a trey, Oldham scored on a wraparound and Andy Shorey (12 points) put in an offensive rebound.

“We knew something needed to change,” McCann said. “Our efforts was to stop (Mark) Wade because he had torched us in the first half. Things really came together for us in the third quarter.”

Wade picked up his fourth foul with 5:35 left in the third quarter and sat until 7:35 remained in the game. Monmouth struggled to get past the Falcons pressure and Tim Pinette (10 points, six rebounds) was the only other shooter.

Mountain Valley shot 45 percent from the floor and made six from beyond the arc.

“We did start slow and I call it growing pains,” Casey said. “This is a young team and when things don’t go right then they start to get tight. But, when things start going well they can get things done. A lot of our success depends on if we (run) and get easy baskets.”

Mountain Valley cleared its bench early in the fourth

quarter and received some good production from Josh Lyons (two baskets), Korey Stairs, DJ Gerrish and Brett Archibald.

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