PORTLAND — Even without its best player for long stretches, Cheverus maintained a steady lead and defeated Oxford Hills 48-38 in Saturday’s Class AA North girls basketball final.

The second-seeded Vikings (15-6) were denied a repeat victory in a rematch of last year’s regional final.

“To be honest with you, I’m in shock,” Cheverus coach Bill Goodman said. “We had a lot of adversity today, we had foul trouble, but the other girls stepped up. I’m so proud of them.”

 

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The “other girls” besides star senior Maddie Fitzpatrick included senior Ruth Boles, who finished with a game-high 21 points. Fitzpatrick found herself in foul trouble, picking up four fouls and sitting out nearly the entire second quarter and the majority of the third. She still finished with 13 points, scoring six of those in the fourth quarter, and was selected as the winner of the Red McCann Award, given to the AA North girls tournament’s top player.

Oxford Hills junior Gabbie Tibbetts was the Vikings’ top scorer with 19 points, nine of which she scored in the third quarter.

“Gabbie’s played like that all year for us, and she’s really matured as a basketball player,” Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier said. “I’m super proud of her. Cheverus did everything they could to take the ball away from Ella (Pelletier), and Gabbie knew she had to step up. She’s the one that really kept us in the game.”

The top-seeded Stags (20-0) beat the Vikings during every matchup this season, winning 76-48 on the road in December and 58-55 at home in January. Nate Pelletier said that second game was tight, and gave the Vikings the confidence they needed going into Saturday’s regional final. Despite the result, he said he was proud of the team for stepping up and fighting to stay in the game.

“Starting the game, we just wanted to give ourselves a chance,” Nate Pelletier said. “It felt like, a six-point game and at the end of the third, early fourth, we gave ourselves a chance. Credit to them, Ruth Boles had an amazing game. You’re focusing so much on Fitzpatrick, and Boles is a great player who just stepped up when she needed to step up.”

The focus for Oxford Hills was on the fourth quarter, Nate Pelletier said, as it was a more attainable goal than trying to beat the Stags across all four periods. Early in the fourth, the Vikings looked on their way to possibly accomplishing that goal. Entering the final frame down 38-29, they drew within six and held Cheverus scoreless until Boles’ basket with 3:22 left.

The key to the Stags’ win was the consistent two players in the paint — Fitzpatrick and Boles — coupled with the faceguard on Ella Pelletier, he said.

“I mean that’s why they’re undefeated, they have some great players,” Nate Pelletier said.

Pelletier said he’s proud of the team’s transformation this season, ending strong with an 11-game win streak before Saturday’s loss. After the winning momentum picked up for the Vikings in January, and the team was able to make a run, confidence and level of play only grew for Oxford Hills.

“By no means, I told them not to hang their heads,” Nate Pelletier said. “They played their butt off all year and to get here is a feat in itself.”

Goodman said the Stags worked hard to limit Ella Pelletier, keeping her to only eight points. He called Pelletier one of the “best players he’s ever coached against,” and said the team had to focus on shutting her down.

When it came to Boles’ domination, Goodman called her the most improved player this season.

“I keep telling her to play like a champion for me, and today, she did,” Goodman said. “She’s done that all season, but definitely brought it up a notch with Maddie out today. She knew we needed help. She did an amazing job.”

Boles found herself on the inside for an easy basket several times, consistently adding four to six points across each quarter. Despite heavy pressure from the Vikings defense, Boles said the team matched the intensity Oxford Hills came out with.

“The biggest challenge was definitely matching the intensity all four quarters. They came out hitting 3s, being strong, and I think we just matched it,” Boles said. “We excelled in what we need to do.”

Leading 8-5 after one quarter, the Cheverus offense stepped up and added double-digit points in the second, third and fourth quarters to seal the win, and that style of play is why they remain undefeated, according to Nate Pelletier.

This year’s class of graduating seniors — Tristen Derenburger, Milo Seams and Maddy Miller — is a tough loss for Nate Pelletier, especially with how close they were with his daughter, Ella, who is a junior.

“The senior class has a special part in my heart, because growing up, I coached them all the way through travel ball, and my daughter played with them,” Nate Pelletier said. “I love them to death. They’re going to be hugely missed, they’re great people. I can’t say enough about them, they’re amazing.”

For Boles, being a senior for the Stags this season has been nothing short of great.

“We have a great team, great players, great people, great coaches and it just feels amazing to be part of it,” Boles said. “I’m very lucky.”

Looking ahead to the next game, when the Stags will face the AA South champion next Saturday at Cross Insurance Arena, Boles said the team needs to keep working and be ready to come out swinging at game time, which she has no doubt they will.

“We know Scarborough and Gorham are great teams, but we’re going to enjoy it today and this weekend, and then starting Monday we’re going to be focused,” Goodman said following the Stags’ win and before the AA South final began later Saturday night.

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