POLAND – Ten losses and a seeding to match won’t be enough to sneak into the Western Class B boys’ basketball tournament next winter, when the Maine Principals’ Association applies the 50-percent rule as its line of demarcation.

Fryeburg Academy isn’t worried about the future or apologizing for the present. The Raiders are in, owners of the final seat in this two-month game of musical chairs for the second straight year. And they’re treating the opportunity like one of those going-out-of-business liquidation sales: Get what you can, while you may.

Yusuke Fukata led Fryeburg with 15 points Friday night, and the Raiders tuned up for next week’s preliminary round with a 48-37 Western Maine Conference victory over Poland Regional High School.

No. 10 Fryeburg (8-10) unofficially is ticketed for No. 7 Lincoln Academy of Newcastle in a Wednesday play-in contest, with the winner headed to the quarterfinals at the Portland Exposition Building during school vacation week. Official Heal Points and pairings will be released Sunday.

“We played Lincoln in a prelim about nine years ago,” said Fryeburg coach Sedge Saunders. “We’re used to long bus rides. We seem to play a lot better on the road.”

Sophomore Colby Locke added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Raiders. Senior co-captains Ronny Coury (seven points, including five in the fourth quarter) and Evan Humphrey (five points, seven rebounds and four assists) also steadied Fryeburg, which went 7-5 down the stretch after losing five of its first six games.

Fryeburg lost a one-sided verdict to rival Lake Region in the opening round of last year’s tournament. If the regular-season finale was any indication, the Raiders are more balanced and a vastly improved defensive club headed into this encore.

“We’re a lot quicker. We’re bigger, too,” Coury said. “We have more seniors this year, and we have good leadership. We had a lot of sick people going into that (playoff) last year. We’ve never made it to the Expo before, so we’re excited about maybe getting a chance.”

Three steals by Khafre Tuckett led the first-half defensive lockdown as Fryeburg forced 15 turnovers and harassed the Knights into 5-for-21 shooting. Poland trailed 8-3 at the end of one period and 25-12 at the half.

Kyle MacVane and Mike Littlefield, both juniors, paced Poland with 11 points apiece. Littlefield collected 20 rebounds.

Casey Ray added five points in his final game for the Knights. Ray and Kenzie Cook were the only seniors in uniform for the Knights (3-15).

“That’s the second game in a row we came out a little flat. The kids never gave up, though,” said Poland coach Gregg Rose. “Our strength is getting the ball inside. We got it inside, got them in a little foul trouble and got us back in it.”

Trey Ouellette’s steal and lay-up with 2:53 remaining pulled Poland within five at 39-34. Fukata responded with a 3-point play, but Littlefield matched it for another five-point margin with 1:50 left.

Poland missed two inside shots that could have reduced it to a one-possession game, and Locke eventually cleared the rebound. Coury hit two free throws in the final minute. Locke and Humphrey each added another.

“We’ve got guys who are getting used to each other,” Saunders said. “Last year we made a run at the end of the season and snuck into the tournament. This year we got off to a better start, and I think we’re a better team overall.”