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AUGUSTA — In another season of high expectations, the Mt. Abram boys basketball team was still searching for a win against a top opponent as it played its final game of 2025.

The Roadrunners earned that win Tuesday, rallying from an 11-point halftime deficit to beat Madison, 65-56 in overtime, at the Capital City Hoop Classic at the Augusta Civic Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mt. Abram dominated the boards. Led by 17 rebounds apiece from Brennan Mitchell and Owen Cook, the Roadrunners (5-3) outrebounded the Bulldogs 52-30.

“One thing I’ve felt all year that hasn’t come together is that Bren and Owen could be a mismatch,” said Mt. Abram coach Jeff Pillsbury. “A lot of those were offensive rebounds that gave us second-chance points, and we didn’t let them get second-chance points on their end.”

• Mitchell stepped up. Midway through the fourth quarter, Mt. Abram was still down 48-40 before Mitchell made a layup, immediately scored again after a quick steal, and hit two free throws as part of a 12-point fourth quarter that forced the extra session.

“That was great; it brought a lot of energy to us,” said Mitchell, who finished with 28 points. “Our press was working, and that’s what helped me get (the steal). It really got us going.”

WHAT IT MEANS

• After losses to Monmouth Academy, Maranacook and Hall-Dale, Mt. Abram finally has a win over one of the top dogs in the Mountain Valley Conference. The Roadrunners now have a chance to go on a winning streak, with upcoming games against teams in the conference’s bottom half.

• Madison (4-2) missed a chance at a big win, letting a lead slip away and getting outscored 11-2 in overtime. The Bulldogs will not face the Roadrunners again in the regular season, and coach Jason Furbush lamented the lost Heal points.

“Our energy the whole game was not where it needed to be,” Furbush said. “Even up 11 at halftime, I told them that if we played with that same energy level, we weren’t going to get out of there with a win, and we didn’t. We were flat from the tip.”

NOTABLE QUOTABLES 

“Our two guards were making some bad decisions — where they picked it up, when they picked it up, who they passed to and where they were going — but in the second half, they got it together and stayed out of trouble. That helped us get the ball to our bigs.” — Jeff Pillsbury

“We’ll be fine. We just needed a reality check, and I’m glad Mt. Abram gave that to us. We’ll be better in the long run, but it’s a huge loss for us and a big win for them because we only play (them) once this year.” — Jason Furbush

STAT LEADERS

• Mt. Abram: Brennan Mitchell (28 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks), Owen Cook (17 rebounds)

• Madison: Jacob Linkletter (16 points, 10 rebounds), Davyn Nichols (12 points)

UP NEXT

• Mt. Abram: vs. Telstar (1-4), 6:30 p.m. Friday

• Madison: vs. Lisbon (4-2), 6:30 p.m. Friday