POLAND – There might be no better positive reinforcement than winning.

That’s how the Gray-New Gloucester girls’ basketball team must have felt Thursday.

After two hard-fought losses to start the season, the Patriots slipped into the win column with a 49-30 win over Poland.

“It feels really good,” said Leanne Waterman, the Patriots’ lone returning senior from last year. “It’s a good change. I think it’s the start of a good season. We’re going to kick it in gear now.”

G-NG (1-2) lost all five starters and just had Waterman and Olivia Ryan back for experienced varsity players. Still, the Patriots managed a 59-49 loss to Yarmouth and fell short in a 41-37 defeat against Wells.

“It is encouraging,” said G-NG coach Harvey Moynihan. “We’re just trying to remain positive. They’re great kids. It’s a process, but we’re getting there.” Waterman led the Patriots with 16 points. Ryan and Jen Farynaz each added eight. Kathryn Hall led the Knights with eight points while Paige Piper and Kelly Morse each chipped in five.

“We actually had more turnovers than rebounds,” said Poland coach Maggie Thornton. “When I spoke to the girls at halftime and after the game, I told them that there was a complete lack of intensity. It was a mental loss more than a physical loss. We’re used to losing, and they don’t know what it feels like to win. So they all bust their butts for a few minutes and get the crowd going, and then they’ll stop.”

The Knights were within 13-10 after the first quarter, but the offense dried up quickly. Poland hit just one of its first 15 shots in the second quarter and finished shooting 2-for-17. The Knights (0-3) had seven turnovers and went nearly seven minutes without scoring.

“Having our two point guards in major foul trouble in the first quarter was a huge problem,” said Thornton. “We were never able to get into a rhythm.”

After a Hall jumper in the first minute of the second quarter, Poland didn’t score again until the final minute. In between, G-NG turned a 15-12 lead into a 30-12 advantage.

The Patriots hit their first three shots to spark a 15-0 run.

“We’ve finally gelled together, and we know what each other’s doing on the court now,” said Waterman.

A Farynaz 3 started the run. Waterman fed Ana Danieli for a score and then drove to the hoop for two. After a free throw by Brittany Gilbert and a pair from Waterman, Danieli scored on a three-point play.

“They’re buying into it,” said Moynihan. “We lost the five seniors, and I’m playing five sophomores and Leanne. We’re trying to play uptempo, exciting, fun basketball. I told the kids that you’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to turn the ball over when you play up tempo. It’s a by-product.”

Poland started the second with five straight points. After a Hall free throw, Danielle Belanger and Hall had baskets to get the deficit down to 11, but the Knights could get no closer.