AUGUSTA — If you believe in arithmetic progression, tonight’s Western Class C boys’ basketball championship may be headed for triple overtime.

Dirigo and Boothbay’s first meeting this winter — Dec. 16 on the Seahawks’ cozy home court in Boothbay Harbor — concluded with a 68-62 Cougars win after one bonus session.

Two extra four-minute periods were required to settle the Mountain Valley Conference championship Feb. 14 at the spacious Augusta Civic Center. In a game of gripping theatrics from players in both shades of blue, Boothbay prevailed, 89-88.

The mind races with thoughts of what the region’s two best teams might have in store for the rubber match on the same civic center court.

“Hopefully another good battle. Hopefully a little lower-scoring,” Dirigo coach Rebecca Fletcher said. “I’m sure they will be prepared, and I hope we will be too.”

Dirigo (18-2) and Boothbay (17-3) tip off at 8:45 p.m. The winner will be the 12th consecutive MVC team to claim the regional title. Dirigo seeks its third straight trip to states, something no team has done since Falmouth wore four straight Western C crowns from 1996 to ‘99.

Fletcher is the Cougars’ third different coach in those high times, following her longtime mentor Gavin Kane and Dave Gerrish.

The roster also has undergone almost a complete turnover in that stretch. Spencer Ross is Dirigo’s only senior starter, joined by juniors Cody St. Germain, Ben Holmes, Caleb Turner and Josh Turbide.

St. Germain was a thorn in Boothbay’s side in both previous contests. He scored 17 points in Dirigo’s regular-season victory and erupted for 44 points and 20 rebounds in the MVC classic.

“Cody did great,” Holmes said. “Hopefully he has another 44-point game.”

“And maybe we can win that one,” sophomore T.J. Frost added.

Holmes and St. Germain channeled their inner Grant Hill and Christian Laettner that night, providing one of the signature plays of the high school season. Holmes’ 80-foot pass soared over the Boothbay defense into the hands of the 6-foot-4 center St. Germain, who had two seconds to catch, dribble, turn and rattle in a six-foot jump shot from a tough angle to tie the game and force the second overtime.

But Boothbay rallied, despite fouling out two starters. Anthony Dimauro scored what was then a season-high 28 points, 18 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to propel the Seahawks.

Dimauro (11 points per game during the regular season) topped that with 29 in Boothbay’s 73-60 quarterfinal win over Traip. Dan Dickinson took command of the Seahawks’ semifinal, scoring a team-high 22 to chase away Old Orchard Beach, 57-47.

Dirigo overcame sputtering starts to dispatch Livermore Falls, 58-46, and Waynflete, 55-37, on its road to the final.

“That was one of the things we talked about that couldn’t happen, and it certainly can’t happen on Saturday,” Fletcher said of the first-half struggles. “Hopefully our knowledge of each other will help eliminate that as an issue.”

St. Germain and Turbide have overcome recent illnesses to lead balanced Dirigo throughout the playoffs, finishing both games in double figures.

The Cougars’ three-guard lineup of Turbide, Turner and Ross is adept at transforming steals into quick points as well as locating the open man in Dirigo’s half-court sets.

“In the second half (of both tournament games) we just picked the pressure, got into our half-court trap, just really got on the ball with defense,” Holmes said.

Frost, Arik Fenstermacher and Hunter Ross have provided a backcourt boost off the bench in Augusta.

“It’s nice to be able to put people in and not feel like you’re going to lose anything in terms of intensity, especially,” Fletcher said. “I totally feel comfortable defensively, other than with size sometimes. It’s nice to have.”

That depth will be critical against a typical Boothbay team that lacks height but burns with quickness.

In addition to Dickinson (17 ppg) and Dimauro, Jake Simmons is a dangerous 3-point shooter, while Jordan Caron plays taller and stronger than his six-foot frame.

The teams were a combined 3-0 against Western Maine Conference foes in the early rounds, setting up another all-MVC final that most local fans were craving.

“There are no secrets,” Fletcher said.

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