Oxford Hills outshoots Deering in Class AA North girls’ basketball

AUGUSTA — The long distance shots beyond the arc created the lead, but the late shots at the foul line secured it.

Oxford Hills started strong Monday and finished just as effectively in a 43-35 win over Deering in a Class AA North semifinal.

The Vikings advance to Friday’s regional final against Edward Little.

Oxford Hills opened the game hitting five 3s in the first half — from four different players. As Deering kept close in the second half, the Vikings finished things off from the foul line. The Vikings hit 10 of their 16 points in the fourth quarter on free throws.

“When you get a couple 3s in a row from kids that don’t normally take them as much, but they’re totally capable of making them, they went in today,” Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier said. “It was huge to get a lead early.

“They did fight back. We knew it was going to happen. We turned the ball over a little bit too much in the second half, but down the stretch, we’ve been winning from the foul line and that’s what won us the game.”

Deering was within two points three times in the fourth quarter and was down 37-35 with 2:34 remaining. The Rams turned the ball over and that sparked an 8-0 run for Oxford Hills to seal it.

“We had the ball with 1:53 left and down two,” Deering coach Mike Murphy said. “The unforced errors, that’s what I’m talking about in needing to be stronger with the ball.”

Tianna Sugars led the Vikings (16-3) with 12 points while Erin Morton added nine and Ally Hanley chipped in seven. Deering (12-8) got 15 from Tashia Titherington and nine from Amanda Brett.

Though Oxford Hills had the lead up to 25-16 early in the third quarter, Deering closed the gap and was within 29-27 entering the fourth. Despite the narrow lead, the Vikings were confident, because they knew foul shots could win them the game.

“We have very good foul shooters,” said Hanley, a senior guard. “I have full confidence in all of them.”

Hanley and Sugars each hit four free throws in the final quarter. Hanley hit a pair early to bump the lead to 31-27 and two late to give the Vikings an eight-point lead.

“It’s very stressful at times,” Hanley said. “I just relaxed and shot like I know how to shoot.”

Oxford Hills opened a 36-31 lead midway through the fourth on a basket by Jadah Adams and a fast break hoop by Morton. She later hit a free throw for the five-point lead. Titherington hit free throws to trim the lead and sank a pair with 2:34 left to make it 37-35.

Deering even got the ball back and had a chance to tie the game, but the Rams threw the ball out of bounds. On the inbounds play, the Vikings went the other way and Jayden Colby scored with 1:43 left. On Deering’s next possession, an offensive foul on Titherington gave the Vikings the ball. Over the final minute, Sugars and Hanley combined for six free throws to complete the win.

“A lot of times we’re told that we’re strong free throw shooters at the end,” Hanley said. “I think we executed that well and got fast breaks and attacked the rim and got to the foul line.”

In addition to the clutch foul shooting, the Vikings made key defensive stops and executed well offensively to find shots or create fouls.

“It was just total composure by our players,” Pelletier said. “They can’t hear me out there. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. It’s a credit to them. I had three seniors (Sugars, Hanley, Colby) that really picked it up when we needed them to.”

The Vikings built the early lead with a different shooting prowess. Hanley, Morton and Erin Eastman all hit 3s in the first quarter. Then Eastman and Colby drilled from long distance in the second.

“It relaxed a lot of us,” Hanley said. “It made the outside pull out and made the inside feel less crowded.”

The Vikings finished the first quarter with an 8-2 run. Morton and Hanley hit 3’s and a basket by Sugars made it 15-8. The Colby 3 and an Eastman 3 was followed by an Adams basket in the second that made it 23-13. A Titherington 3 to end the half cut the lead to 23-16.

“It came down to taking care of the ball and they made every shot,” Murphy said. “Last game we played them, they didn’t hit a shot outside the lane. They didn’t miss a shot beyond the arc in the first half.”

kmills@sunjournal.com