BANGOR, MAINE — Hopes of advancing to the state championship fell just short for the Southern Aroostook girls basketball team.
SACS (19-2) held an eight-point lead at halftime, but a veteran Shead squad came roaring back in the second half to snatch a 32-29 victory Saturday evening at the Cross Insurance Center. It marks the second straight Class D north title for Shead (19-2).
“I felt like if we could have scored a couple baskets early in the third quarter, it would have carried the momentum we had built going into halftime,” Southern Aroostook coach Cliff Urquhart said. “It would have been enough to put them away. We played well enough on the defensive end to win the game, but we really had a hard time adjusting to what was a travel, what wasn’t a travel and it threw us off a little. Our bigs usually give us between 20-30 points a game, but we’re only able to score six Saturday. I think having been in a championship game before really helped Shead handle things down the stretch.”
The young Warriors, comprised mostly of sophomores, freshmen and eighth-graders enjoyed a marvelous season nonetheless and have a bright future over the next few seasons.
“I am extremely proud of the group and how we played all season long and the way we handled adversity early when Kassidy was out,” Urquhart said.
It was a struggle for both teams offensively at times but, as was the case in the semifinals on Thursday against Washburn, the Tigerettes won with their defense.
With Shead leading by one with eight seconds remaining, Preston did her best Malcolm Butler impression, fighting through a double-screen and stepping in front of the Warriors’ Kacy Daggett to pick off the inbounds pass and convert a breakaway layup just before time ran out.
The Tigerettes did an outstanding job of packing in their defenders on the play and denying the Warriors’ post players any lob passes.
After an evenly-played first quarter, the Warriors took an 18-10 halftime lead, holding Shead to just one field gone in the period. But there was no panic in Shead’s locker room, and the Tigerettes started the second half on an 11-1 run. Madison Greenlaw and Cassidy Wilder contributed all the points, mainly off of back-door layups, as Holly Preston was able to start penetrating Southern Aroostook’s defense.
Preston was also able to overcome foul trouble as she played much of the fourth quarter with four fouls.
“She kept her head and didn’t pick up that fifth foul,” said Shead coach Dean Preston, Holly’s father.
The teams went into the final quarter tied, and the Warriors took a 3-point lead with 5:21 left after a long jumper by Katelyn Slauenwhite.
Two free throws by Greenlaw and a driving layup by Preston gave Shead the lead back with 3:58 left, but the Warriors answered with just under two minutes remaining on a Kassidy Mathers runner off the glass.
Preston’s one-hander in the lane on Shead’s next possession gave the Tigerettes the lead for good.
Greenlaw (10 points) and Wilder (eight points) played exceptional roles for Shead down low and were able to counter Southern Aroostook’s height.
The Warriors were looking to get the ball to Kassidy Mathers (10 points) on the final possession.
“We ran Kassidy off a double screen as our primary option and our secondary was a lob for a big [a post player],” Urquhart said. “They did a great job of stepping in there.”
Sydney Brewer grabbed nine rebounds for the Warriors.
