JAY — There haven’t been many free-throw shooting clinics for Georges Valley High School this winter. Or anybody else in the state, for that matter.

But the Buccaneers evolved into a model of efficiency without waving hands in their face just in time to put Jay’s Western Class C tournament hopes in jeopardy. Georges Valley went 28-for-34 from the stripe Friday night, draining 18 free throws in a marathon fourth quarter to lock up a 58-43 boys’ basketball victory at the Tigerdome.

Dylan Maloney was 7-for-8 in the finishing kick for the Buccaneers, who sank 18-of-21 in the fourth quarter. 

“We were 22-for-28 in our last game and 28-for-34 tonight. Before that, 52 percent,” said Georges Valley coach Scott Johnson. “We lost five games by more where we missed more free throws than we lost by. It’s muscle memory and it’s confidence. You miss one, you miss one. It takes a while, but it sure helped us tonight, huh?”

Logan Cross scored 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter to lead Georges Valley (8-8), which warded off one Jay run in the second quarter and another rally in the third before holding serve at the line.

Austin Clark led Jay (9-7) with 20 points and 20 rebounds. 

“We thought if we won tonight it would punch our ticket to Augusta,” said Cross, whose Buccaneers won their third straight game.

Jay’s fate remains in relative limbo. The Tigers, contained to 16-for-70 (23 percent) from the field, entered the game No. 11 in Western C Heal Points. Georges Valley was seventh. Ten teams will make the tournament, with six receiving a bye into the quarterfinal.

To make the cut, Jay either must upset Dirigo at home in its regular-season finale next Friday or get a variety of help from Mountain Valley Conference rivals. The first step would be a Georges Valley win over No. 10 Monmouth next Tuesday.

“I told them to keep up that hot shooting for one more game,” said Jay coach Brian Kelly. “You know, ever since Dr. (James) Naismith first put up those peach baskets, you’ve needed to put the ball in that basket. And they did that better than we did. There were other factors, of course, but ultimately that was No. 1.”

Georges Valley ripped open a 13-point lead at 34-21 on Cross’ 3-pointer with 3:37 remaining in the third quarter before Jay roared to life.

James Barker’s layup launched a 12-4 run. Barker missed the free throw to complete the potential 3-point play, but Clark was there for the putback.

Clark’s turnaround jumper cut the deficit to seven points late in the period, and Jake Bessey’s two free throws with 1.2 seconds to go kept it there at 36-29.

Bessey and Jordan DeMillo scored back-to-back buckets in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to make it 36-33, Jay’s closest approach since 16-15 early in the second stanza. Georges Valley answered by breaking Jay’s press for an easy Daniel Arsenault hoop.

Arsenault scored Georges Valley’s second and final field goal of the period for a 44-36 lead with 3:50 left, setting the table for a symphony of whistles in the home stretch.

“As far as making shots and getting the steal or the foul, we were doing what we needed to do,” Kelly said. “Sometimes you get behind and you’re rushing the shots and they just don’t fall. They did what they needed do. Georges Valley earned it.”

Maloney finished with 12 points for the Buccaneers. Arsenault scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter to complement five rebounds and four blocked shots.

Cross had the hot hand in the first quarter with a pair of 3-pointers. Alex Grierson’s conventional 3-point play gave the Bucs a 16-9 edge.

Jay scored the first six points of the second period, four by Clark, to get within one. Two Ben Wallace free throws triggered Georges Valley’s response of seven straight, capped by a Maloney 3-pointer.

“Our 2-3 zone really worked out for us,” Cross said. “(Jay) wasn’t able to drive or make their cuts, and their shots didn’t fall.”

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