Seniors Maddie Provost and Ashley Shores were the catalysts behind Lawrence High School of Fairfield’s 52-41 victory over Oceanside of Rockland in the state Class B schoolgirl championship game at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Friday night.
They shared the game’s high-scoring honors with 19 points apiece. Provost also had a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots while Shores hauled down four rebounds.
But there were some also valuable contributions from the supporting cast.
Junior guard Amiya Lawyerson’s offensive rebound and basket off a Provost layup miss came with just two seconds left in the first half, and cut Oceanside’s lead to five entering the intermission. It was her only two points of the game.
The Mariners had the ball and a seven-point lead in the waning seconds of the half with an opportunity to extend it to nine. But Provost stole the ball and went in for her layup that was rebounded by Lawyerson.
That rebound and basket gave the Bulldogs a lift, according to Provost.
The Bulldogs scored 10 unanswered points to start the second half. After a 6-3 run by Oceanside cut the lead to 37-35 after three quarters, junior Lawrence guard Jaycie Elkins hit a crucial 3-pointer. That was her second of the game, and it opened the fourth quarter by rebuilding the Lawrence lead to five.
Oceanside never got any closer than three the rest of the way.
“It really set in that we had to win and I decided I needed to step up,” said Elkins, who received a pass from Provost. “Maddie really pats me on the back and really gives me confidence when I need it.”
Then, with around one minute remaining and Lawrence protecting a five-point lead, Lawrence junior forward Leah Tibbetts got good defensive positioning and took a charge that gave the ball back to her team and all but sewed up the win.
“That was a really big charge,” Elkins said.
Provost, a Miss Maine Basketball finalist who will be playing a Holy Cross next year, said all the different contributions matter for Lawrence.
“It was a total team effort,” Provos said. “Ashley, Jacie or I couldn’t have done any of the things we did without great teammates and a great coaching staff.”
Lawrence coach Greg Chesley said they had a little downturn in the middle of the season where they lost a few games. And he and his coaching staff stressed “how important everyone’s role is” for the Bulldogs.
“We needed everyone stepping up to do what they can do to help us win,” explained Chesley. “Girls who don’t get in, it’s your job to be energy on the bench. Pick your teammates up as they come off the court and let them know they can do it.”
There was plenty of energy from the Lawrence bench and fan section as the Bulldogs outscored Oceanside 28-12 in the second half.
“Maybe you’re not a high scorer when you’re playing but maybe you get that chance to knock down that one shot. Step up and shoot it with confidence,” Chesley continued. “Take charges. Dive on the floor. All those little things in the second half we did.”
And the entire team played stellar defense, limiting Oceanside to a season low in points and a 31.9 percent shooting percentage from the floor.
Shores held freshman sensation Olivia Breen to 17 points, eight below her average.
“We definitely had to limit their threes and, obviously, Breen’s touches along with their in-and-out game,” Shores said. “We knew when we went to go double down on Breen, that they were going to kick out and there was going to be a three. We were just trying to contest and box out.”
Shores said it was “great” that everybody contributed, including the less-experienced players.
“I feel like their confidence has definitely grown since the beginning of the season,” Shores said. “We’ve been telling them, ‘Hey, your moment will come and you will get a chance. So shine when you get your moment.’”