Portland High School's Kevin Rugabirwa dribbles around an Oxford Hills High School player at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Credit: Troy R. Bennett / BDN

The Portland High School boys basketball team slowly pulled away from Oxford Hills on Saturday to defeat the defending regional champions 47-35 and win the AA North title at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

The Portland Bulldogs (16-5) will play the winner of the AA South championship game between No. 2 South Portland and No. 1 Thornton Academy in the Class AA state title game on Saturday, March 4, at 8:45 p.m.

Oxford Hills ends its season 19-2.

This is the first time the Bulldogs have won a regional championship since 2017, when they went on to beat South Portland in the state championship game, 60-38.

Oxford Hills defeated Portland twice in the regular season, 48-47 on Jan. 3 and 62-52 on Jan. 13.

Portland High School’s Pitia Donato shoots the ball over Oxford Hills High School players at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Credit: Troy R. Bennett / BDN
Oxford Hills High School’s Holden Shaw takes a shot at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Credit: Troy R. Bennett / BDN

Portland advanced to the finals thanks to a 46-40 win over No. 3 Lewiston in the semifinals. Lewiston had also beaten Portland twice in the regular season, 56-47 in the season opener on Dec. 9 and 39-36 on Jan. 24.

Portland beat Windham in the quarterfinals, 49-46.

Oxford Hills High School’s Holden Shaw takes a shot at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Credit: Troy R. Bennett / BDN
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Lindsay Putnam

Lindsay Putnam is a senior editor for sports and features at the Bangor Daily News. Lindsay previously worked as an editor and reporter at the New York Post. She's a York Beach native and Colby College...