AUBURN – St. Dom’s and Waynflete give the impression that if they played an entire 18-game boys’ basketball season against each other, both Western Maine Conference Class C rivals would win nine of them.

So after Waynflete won three straight nailbiters in the series, both the law of averages and a frustrated, hungry foe dictated the Saints’ 51-37 victory Thursday evening at Callahan Family Gym.

Joe Bonneau and Andy Allen each scored 14 points for the Saints (7-2). Sophomore Greg Labonte scored all six of his points in the decisive fourth quarter, when St. Dom’s stretched out what was a precarious three-point lead.

“My little slogan for this game was revenge,” said St. Dom’s coach Ryan Deschenes. “They won three in a row against us, including a playoff game last year and the first regular-season game this year. And we play them again next week, but we said let’s worry about that next week and get this one tonight.”

As one dubious run ended, one of the most impressive winning streaks in the program’s history continued.

The Saints haves won seven straight. And although St. Dom’s likely will be known as a “hockey school” until kingdom come, boys’ hoop presently owns the best record of any winter sport in its athletic program.

“We run pretty deep,” said Allen, who scored 11 points in the second half. “But our defense wins games for us. (Waynflete) got 37 points tonight. That pretty much tells the story right there.”

Waynflete (6-2) stumbled to 1-of-12 from the field in the fourth quarter and 12-for-51 (23 percent) overall. Andrew Veroneau led the Flyers with 11 points. Lucas O’Neil added 10.

Labonte’s 3-pointer on the opening possession of the fourth quarter gave St. Dom’s its largest lead of the night to that point at 35-29. Waynflete never again got closer than four.

“We were playing a hot team in their own gym,” said Waynflete coach Rich Henry. “And you know what they say: Familiarity breeds contempt.”

Neither team led by more than five points until the final eight minutes.

St. Dom’s enjoyed margins of 11-10 at the end of the first period and 21-20 at the half. After Joe Stockmeyer delivered down low to put the Flyers in front to christen the third, the Saints worked the ball inside to Bonneau and reclaimed the lead for keeps.

“They have us scouted and we have them scouted, so you basically throw the matchups out the window,” Deschenes said. “It was ugly until the fourth quarter, and then we started to play St. Dom’s basketball.”

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