Girls basketball: Oxford Hills heats up in win over Bangor, claims 2nd seed

PARIS — Oxford Hills started raining down shots in the second quarter in a 63-39 Class AA North girls basketball showdown win against Bangor on Thursday.

“The second half of the game, we all started hitting our shots,” senior Tristen Derenburger said. “I was hitting my 3s, Ella (Pelletier) was hitting her jumpers, Gabbie (Tibbetts) and Maddy (Miller) were hitting their layups.”

Pelletier led the group with 21 points, while Derenburger dropped in 18 and Tibbetts had 15.

Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier said the Vikings’ goal is to get 60 shots a game.

“Every quarter, you are looking to get up 15 shots a quarter,” Nate Pelletier said. “If you can do that, you are going to be in the 50s and 60s, where you want to be. If you can get there, you will beat a lot of teams.”

Both teams couldn’t break away in the first quarter as the lead changed hands a few times.

The Vikings (13-5) struggled from beyond the arch. Still, Oxford Hills took an 11-9 lead into the second quarter.

Ella Pelletier started to heat up for the Vikings in the second with an opening 3 followed by a three-point play to extend the lead to 17-9.

Ella Pelletier said after a slow first quarter where they missed quite a few shots, they knew they would start to fall eventually.

“It’s about getting us those shots even if we are missing, making sure we keep taking them,” Ella Pelletier said. “Keep getting good kick-outs and they will start to fall. We shoot so much. If we keep taking them, they will fall at some point.”

After a bucket by Tibbetts and Bangor’s Avery Clark, Pelletier hit another 3-pointer for a 22-11 lead.

Pelletier had 10 points for the quarter.

Bangor coach Jay Kemble said the Vikings got to the loose balls in the second period.

“They have a lot of weapons and the big thing I thought for us is, number one, is they out-rebounded us on the offensive boards,” Kemble said. “They got offensive rebounds and got multiple shots. Secondly, Derenburger was hot, and all of sudden that changes how you have to defend.”

Derenburger hit two 3s at the end of the second, including one with about a second remaining to take a 29-13 lead into halftime.

“I just had to perfect my shot because that’s my role,” Derenburger said. “Come out and shoot the ball. I am on minute restrictions. I have to go in and do what I have to do in the time I have.”

Derenburger was playing her third game since returning from an ACL injury this past spring, and was limited to four minutes per quarter. She said she’ll be able to play more minutes in the playoffs.

Clara Oldenburg had the other two points for the Rams (12-6) in the second.

Nate Pelletier said the Vikings did a good job of not letting Bangor’s top scorers get hot.

“So for us, it was about rebounding. If you can rebound offensively and defensively, you will get more shots,” Nate Pelletier said. “Then just knowing who their scorers are. They have some really good scorers and I thought we keyed on them for the most part fairly well.”

Mimi Quinn and Emily Adams each had 12 points in the game for Bangor.

Tibbetts heated up in the third when she scored 11 of her points. Three of those points came after Ella Pelletier saved the ball from going out of bounds at the end line.

“I think it’s always working hard, going for the ball and always trying to save it,” Ella Pelletier said. “My teammate is there and she hits it — that’s a big shot for her.”

Bangor had a balanced attack in the quarter, with Clark and Adams dropping in four points each and Quinn hitting three foul shots.

“Our inside-outside game was good tonight,” Kemble said. “We were able to get the ball to the post and we were able to get some post points. We were able to get some kick-outs to the top by Adams and Quinn. We did some good things.”

Oxford Hills led 48-24 through three quarters.

Quinn had six points in the fourth, while the Vikings spread the scoring around in the final frame.

Oxford Hills locked up the No. 2 seed with the win and Bangor will be the No. 3 seed when the postseason begins. Nate Pelletier expects the Rams to bring their best if the two meet in the North playoffs.

“They are good. We shot the ball really well,” Nate Pelletier said. “I fully expect — if we see them again — we will get a tougher matchup. Why? Because they are probably going to shoot a little better.”