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TwitterDeering`s route to semifinals means avoiding an early exit
Monday, February 18, 2013
n Western A girls: Higher seeds Scarborough, Cheverus and McAuley advance with wins. C4
n Scoreboard: Results and box scores from high school action all around the state. C6
n Western C boys: Dirigo edges Old Orchard, while Waynflete, Madison and Boothbay also win. C8
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n LIVE STREAMS: Watch all quarterfinal games live Tuesday at
www.pressherald.com/sportsBy MIKE LOWE
Staff Writer
PORTLAND — Twice in the first quarter, Mike Murphy didn`t like what he was seeing from his Deering High girls` basketball team, so he called a timeout. Thornton Academy had taken a 6-2 lead in their Western Class A quarterfinal at the Portland Expo and was looking to pull away.
``I just had to settle them down,`` he said of his players. ``We were discombobulated. You could see it in their faces. And once we were able to score and get into our press, that bothered them.``
Once they settled down, the Rams did what they do best -- play defense.
Deering held the Trojans to two long scoring droughts on the way to a 33-25 victory. Thornton didn`t score during an 8:06 stretch spanning the first and second quarters, allowing the Rams to take the lead.
Then Deering held Thornton without a field goal in the fourth, when the Rams pulled away.
``That was our goal, defense, defense, defense,`` said guard Chelsea Saucier, who led Deering with 12 points. ``We knew that`s what was going to get us to the next game. And that`s what we did.``
Second-ranked Deering (17-2) will play third-seeded Cheverus (17-2) in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The teams split in the regular season.
The Trojans (13-6) led 6-2 after Olivia Shaw hit a 3-pointer with 2:13 left in the first quarter. Then Deering clamped down, running off 13 consecutive points before Shaw -- who finished with 15 points -- scored inside to make it 15-8. Deering forced seven turnovers in that stretch.
``With our defense, our scoring will come,`` said Saucier. ``We just know we have to shut them down.``
The Trojans pulled within 24-23 with a late run in the third quarter, as Shaw hit two 3-pointers in the final 2:23. Then the Rams clamped down again.
Marissa MacMillan, Deering`s 6-foot-4 center, began the fourth with a three-point play, grabbing an offensive rebound for a basket and a foul.
``That was huge,`` said Murphy.
Trojans Coach Eric Marston agreed. ``I thought we had momentum at the end of the third and we wanted to build on it,`` he said. ``Then they started with that three-point play.``
Three consecutive Trojan possessions ended with turnovers, the last leading to a Saucier jumper that made it 29-23.
Playing with three fouls, MacMillan had a tremendous fourth quarter, scoring five points, grabbing five rebounds, blocking a shot and coming up with two steals. Her defense kept Shaw from scoring in the final eight minutes.
``We gave Shaw too many open looks in the third,`` said Murphy. ``In the fourth we told them, `Don`t let her get the ball.` Once she gave it up, we made it hard to get her the ball back.``
MacMillan knew she had to be careful with the three fouls.
``It`s in your mind,`` she said, ``but you can`t let it affect you.``
Thornton`s only two points of the fourth came on free throws by freshman Ashley Howe with 4:20 remaining. But the Trojans turned the ball over three more times and missed four shots.
``We struggled own the stretch and I give a lot of credit to Coach Murphy and Deering,`` said Marston. ``They played with a lot of poise. We had our opportunities, certainly but we just didn`t convert.``
Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com
Twitter: MikeLowePPH
