BANGOR, Maine — Early foul trouble presented challenges to both Camden Hills and Gardiner during their Eastern Maine Class B semifinal game on Wednesday at the Cross Insurance Center.
But once the Tigers’ starters were back on the floor together in the second half, the team was finally able to generate some energy and momentum.
Gardiner was able to turn up its defensive intensity and turn some steals into transition points, fueling a game-changing 12-0 run that propelled the ninth-seeded Tigers to a 53-42 victory over No. 4 Camden Hills of Rockport.
Coach Mike Gray’s team (10-11) advances to Saturday’s 2:05 p.m. regional championship game against No. 2 Presque Isle (18-2), which beat No. 11 Hermon earlier on Wednesday.
“I was a little worried after what happened Saturday, [an upset of No. 1 Mount Desert Island], that we might not come out with that kind of intensity, but by the second half we had it,” Gray said.
Gardiner sophomore forward Mary Toman was named the Darling’s/BDN Most Valuable Player after posting a double-double that included 16 points and 16 rebounds. She also blocked four shots.
Toman controlled the paint in the first half, especially as 6-foot-2 Camden Hills senior Rachel Pease sat out for almost nine minutes with two fouls.
“I knew I was going to have to work hard to beat this team because they beat us [49-45] in the first half of the regular season,” Toman said. “I wanted my team to be able to count on me on the inside, so I tried to work hard positioning.”
Gardiner seized the upper hand late in the third quarter with guards Morgan Carver and Lauren Chadwick back on the floor spearheading the defense. Carver played only four minutes in the first half because of foul trouble.
Senior Savannah Vinton-Mullens (seven points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals) ignited the Tigers’ key surge. She scored from underneath off a feed from Leslie Stevens, who then made a layup thanks to a pass from Carver to give Gardiner a 36-30 lead after three quarters.
“We just calmed down at halftime, then we started playing defense with our feet and keeping it in front,” Gray said.
“With this team, the less structure we give them, the better; the less thinking we have to do, just go out and play,” he added.
The Tigers kept surging early in the fourth. Toman converted down low off a pass by Carver, who came back to score a fast-break layup. Carver’s steal then led to a runner by Vinton-Mullens, who set up Chadwick for a 12-footer in the paint to give Gardiner a 44-30 advantage with 6:06 to play.
“Early foul trouble definitely killed us,” said Carver, who went 9-for-12 at the foul line and scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half. She added three assists and two steals.
“Once we get on that little bit of a run, we get that intensity, and we just keep going with it,” she said.
Sophomore guard Charlotte Messer paced the Windjammers with 16 points and four rebounds. Camden Hills did not handle Gardiner’s better ball pressure, committing eight second-half turnovers, including a handful that led to transition points.
Pease finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Windjammers after netting only two in the first half.
Gardiner outrebounded Camden Hills 41-37 but went 16-for-31 from the foul line.