One of Maine’s best basketball rivalries crashed into the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor Thursday night. And the Gardiner Tigers emerged victorious over longtime foe Cony to take the Class B North title back with them to central Maine.
Gardiner shot the lights out from 3-point range and closed the game out strong to earn the 80-71 win over the Rams.
It was a high-energy game throughout, with the teams meeting for the third time this season after splitting the first two games. Both fan sections brought title-game noise to the Cross Center, and the No. 3 Tigers came away with the upset win over top-ranked Cony.
Clockwise, from left: The Gardiner boys team and fans celebrate after winning the Class B North regional championship at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on February 20, 2026. Gardiner beat Cony 80-71.; The Gardiner boys huddle on the court during foul shots by Carter Braithwaite. Gardiner boys head coach was assessed a technical foul during the first half of the Class B North regional championship at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Feb. 20, 2026.; Gardiner’s Brady Atwater shoots a three during the Class B North regional championship vs Cony at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Credit: Kim Higgins / BDN
“Emotions certainly are high. With that being said, the goal was to not have our guys get too high or too low,” Gardiner coach Aaron Toman said after the win. “Cony’s a very talented team. We knew they were going to make runs. We were able to get stops when we needed, and make a few more runs.”
The Tigers shot a blistering 10-17 from 3-point range.
“We made some big shots as well,” Toman added. “That helps.”
Senior forward Brady Atwater once again led the way for Gardiner, notching 27 points for the Tigers. Senior guard Brady Peacock had 16 for Gardiner.
At left: Gardiner’s Brady Peacock makes a layup during the Class B North regional championship vs Cony at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. At right: Cony’s Carter B:raithwaite dribbles the ball under heavy defense from Gardiner’s Brayden Elliott during the Class B North regional championship at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Feb. 20, 2026. Credit: Kim Higgins / BDN
“This is our brotherhood team,” Atwater said after the win. “We played as hard as we could. We played with our togetherness.”
Junior guard Trace Moody added 12, including a pair of massive 3-pointers down the stretch to help close the door on the Rams.
Cony looked poised to battle back in the fourth quarter, with senior Parker Morin providing a sequence of hustle plays on defense that included a ferocious block and a timely steal. Freshman star Carter Brathwaite led all scorers with 32 points, followed by Morin with 16.
“At the end of the day, it’s still a great season,” Cony coach Isaiah Brathwaite said about his Rams team after the game. “And I’m proud of these guys. They showcased what we were capable of all season long, and just come out this way, it’s alright. It doesn’t go our way, but still keep our heads high and be proud of what we did.”
Gardiner will now take on Class B South boys champion Yarmouth in the state final next week. That game will be held in the Cross Center on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7:45 p.m.