By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

SOUTH PARIS – If the game was to come down to free throws, it seemed likely to most Friday night that the Oxford Hills girls’ basketball team would prosper.

Mt. Blue’s Bonnie Silkman had other ideas.

The Cougars’ junior captain sank a pair of free throws with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Mt. Blue went on to edge the Vikings 47-43.

“We knew it was going to be a big game and worth a lot of points,” said Silkman. “We knew we had to do it, but we just weren’t getting it together.”

The Cougars (5-2) had struggled from the free-throw line, hitting just 12-of-24 in the game. Oxford Hills (4-2) had great success from the line, hitting 23 free throws overall, including nine out of 10 during one stretch. A pair of Kari Pelletier free throws with 33 seconds remaining had put the Vikings up 41-40. Another free throw by Kelsea Pelletier with 13 seconds left made it 42-40. Kari Pelletier, who had 10 of her 12 points from the line, had the chance to pad the lead with about six seconds left but missed both.

“This is probably the best game we’ve played all year,” said Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier. “The kids really stepped it up. These games are tough. The game was ours, and we just lost it.”

Mt. Blue got a timeout with 2.8 seconds left. An inbounds pass to Silkman to the right of the basket drew a foul. Her first shot hit the rim and rolled in, and the second swished through to tie it.

“I did not want to lose whatsoever,” said Silkman, who led the Cougars with 16 points. “I didn’t get to shoot the whole game. I finally got to shoot some foul shots. So I was like, I’m going to make them if these are the only ones I get to take.'”

With starters Christina Mosher and Amanda Laney fouled out, the Cougars were shorthanded entering overtime. Mosher finished with 13 points while Laney had seven. Terry Bunce had 11 for Oxford Hills while Katie Martin added nine, filling in for injured starter Kristina Bowden.

“I personally thought I had to pick it up and not depend on them,” said Silkman. “I talked to everyone and told them what I thought. Everyone stepped it up a lot.”

Silkman gave the Cougars the lead with a free throw with 3:28 left in overtime. Freshman Sabrina Keach made it 45-42 with a turn-around shot with 2:09 left. The Vikings were playing catch the rest of the way and couldn’t muster a field goal. Oxford Hills’ only points came on a Kari Pelletier free throw with 45 seconds left to make it 45-43, but free throws from Michelle Oswald and Silkman padded the lead.

“They do have a lot of guts, but we need to take care of the ball at the end of the game, and our defensive intensity was a little flat tonight,” said Mt. Blue coach Jeannine Paradis.

The Vikings had built a 39-33 lead with 4:08 left on a 3 from Kelsea Pelletier and free throws by Allison Fox. The Cougars ran off seven straight to take the lead. Laney hit a 3 to tie it at 39-39. A free throw by Mosher put the Cougars up by one with 1:50 left.

“I told the girls that I think we’re where we need to be right now,” said Pelletier. “We played a great second half. “