WINTHROP – The last time they met, the game was decided with a dramatic buzzer beater in the Western C semifinals.

That disappointing loss has not been forgotten by the Jay girls’ basketball team, and the Tigers left nothing to chance Wednesday night.

Jay roared out to an early lead and avenged last year’s tourney loss to Winthrop with a 48-24 victory.

“We have been thinking about it since last year,” said Hillary Deane. “Last year, they beat us at the Civic Center. So we had some unfinished business. We came out with intensity, and I think we fulfilled that.”

The Tigers clamped on the press and smothered the Ramblers in the first half. Winthrop scored eight points in the first two quarters and trailed 23-8 at the break.

“Our press was very effective,” said Jay coach Chris Bessey, whose club rebounded after a loss at Dirigo on Monday. “I hoped that it would be. We improve on that every game. Dirigo’s a little bit harder to press, because they primarily play five guards. I thought we pressed the ball well, and I thought we took away the pass to the middle and forced the ball to the sidelines and to our traps.”

Winthrop committed 13 turnovers in the first quarter and 12 in the second. There was one stretch when the Ramblers went more than nine minutes without a field goal.

Winthrop shot just 3-for-18 in the first half.

“Same thing happened the other night against Hall-Dale,” said Winthrop coach Glen Chase. “We rush and get panicky. That’s when we start throwing the ball around.”

Deane led the Tigers with 12 points and seven rebounds. The sophomore forward had eight points in the first quarter. Brie Beisaw added 11 points and Betsy Gemelli had seven. Liz LeBlanc chipped in six points and five assists, while Beth Moore also had six points.

“We work really well together and we all get along,” said Deane. “We’ve always played together since we were really little. So to play in high school and to win together is a really good feeling.”

Kelsey Ouellette one was of the bright spots for Winthrop (1-2) with eight points. Lindsey Gordon added six.

The Tigers jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead on baskets by LeBlanc and Deane. The Ramblers got within 6-5 on a free throw by Ouellette and scores by Gordon and Justine Woodman before Jay finished the quarter with six straight points.

A three-point play by Morgan Turner opened the second quarter. A LeBlanc feed to Brie Beisaw upped the advantage to 17-5. Six straight points by Beisaw, Moore and LeBlanc had the lead up to 17.

Winthrop executed better against the press in the third quarter and settled into its half-court offense.

“We came out in the third quarter and settled and relaxed,” said Chase. “We knew it was coming. We know we’re going to see it all year.”