In a thrilling battle that required overtime, the Oxford Hills Vikings took down the Bangor Rams 47-42 in their AA North girls basketball semifinal matchup at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Wednesday.
The Vikings advance to play the winner of the Cheverus Stags and the Lewiston Blue Devils in the Class AA North regional championship on Saturday.
Bangor finished with a 13-7 record.
Oxford Hills struggled in the first half against Bangor’s defense, with star junior guard Ella Pelletier only taking three shots in the first two quarters. The Vikings entered the halftime break down 19-16.
“My daughter probably doesn’t want me to say what I told her,” Vikings head coach Nate Pelletier said, referring to his halftime talk.
Pelletier eventually finished with 15 points, tied for the team lead with junior guard Gabbie Tibbetts. Tibbetts hit numerous clutch shots, including a momentous three in overtime to give the Vikings a three-point lead.
Pelletier praised Tibbetts’ performance as the effort was instrumental in his team’s victory. “I thought Gabbie in the overtime period essentially got us the win. Big free throws, big three, we needed it.”
The third quarter saw a serious momentum switch, as inopportune foul calls and missed threes by Bangor became transition scores for a Vikings team that was playing with major willpower. Pelletier was overwhelmingly responsible for keeping Oxford Hills in the game as the minutes wore on, scoring three straight baskets on consecutive possessions to send her side into the fourth quarter with a 31-28 lead.
“We wanted to get her some more shots — and when she starts hitting shots she gets hot quick”, Pelletier said.
Oxford Hills rode that high throughout the final frame of regulation, countering any and every Rams basket with an equally electric make. With just over a minute to go, Bangor’s sophomore guard Avery Clark continued the hot spell she had begun parallel to Pelletier’s and cashed in on a tough moving basket to tie the game at 38.
“I just told them, we looked like we already lost and were pounding and playing afraid.” Pelletier continued, “Come out and take good shots, if we don’t hit shots and lose the game at least you can say you tried. If you come out and take good shots, I promise you things are gonna start swinging in our direction, and they did!”
On the final possession of the fourth, Clark was able to get off a half-court heave that nearly won the game for the Rams before it clanked off the front of the rim and sent the contest to overtime. Clark led the way for the Rams, scoring 16 points after recording none in the first quarter.
Very early on, the overtime was as contentious as the previous four quarters. Shortly after Tibbetts’ big three to give Oxford the lead, Bangor senior guard Mimi Quinn fouled out and left a gaping hole in the painted area that her Rams teammates were now tasked with filling. Bangor couldn’t buy a basket in the later stages of OT however, resorting to fouling with a minute to play. Soon after, the Vikings were headed to the Class AA North regional finals.
“Every kid comes in and they know what their role is. We practice hard every single day and I demand a lot out of them,” Pelletier said. “But they’ve stepped it up exactly how I expected them to step up, and I know they can step it up next game too.”
