A regular season finale in the Hoopster Basketball League’s second- and third-grade division saw the undefeated Terrapins looking to stay perfect against a Gators team hot off two straight victories.

The Terrapins came in averaging 39 points in each of their six wins, while holding their opponents to just over 10 a contest. Despite a strong effort from the Gators, the Terps eclipsed their average and remained unbeaten with a 40-18 victory Wednesday at the East Lawrence Center.

“This team has played together a lot and they play great team defense,” said Terrapins coach Joe Keating, whose squad allowed the Gators to become just the third team to score more than 10 points against the Terps.

Gator Trevor Munsch wasn’t intimidated and scored immediately in the opening period, which seemed to spark the Terrapins’ defense into action as Spencer Grop picked a Gators’ pocket and fed teammate Keegan McKinney for a bucket. McKinney and Grop combined for 10 of 12 first quarter points. Grop, Ã la Detroit Piston Rip Hamilton, never stopped moving while on the court, and in a well-designed play worked around two screens and sank a jump shot in the last seconds of the quarter.

While Grop and McKinney continued to anchor the Terps’ attack with two more steals, the Gators’ Munsch took note and got a steal of his own downcourt for a fast-break layup. Gator forward Collin McKee added a basket. But another steal by McKinney easily allowed Terp guard Andrew Keating to finish a two-on-one fast break for his first points of the game and the Terps took a 21-6 lead into halftime.

McKinney said the key to his team’s offensive success was moving without the ball.

“We passed the ball really well, and I concentrated on getting open and free from my man,” he said.

Terrapins Keegan McKinney, left, and Kyle Hoffman trap Gator Collin McKee in the lane Wednesday in a solid defensive effort by the Terrapins in their 22-point win.

McKinney opened the third period with three straight points and Grop continued his solid play on his way to a game-high 12 points and five steals. The Gators mustered a fourth quarter run anchored by Jay Dineen and Munsch, but it proved too little too late.

“We’ll just stick to our guns,” said Keating of the Terps, who will take a perfect 7-0 pre-season and season record into the postseason tournament. “If we continue to work together we’ll do well.”

The Terrapins have a first- round bye, but the Gators get postseason action underway tonight at 6:30p.m.