AUGUSTA – Fourth-seeded Mt. Ararat figured out how to get its inside game going against fifth-seeded Messalonskee after a slow start and pulled out a 52-45 win Friday night in an Eastern Class A girls’ basketball quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center.

With its first win at the ACC since the regional tournament moved there in 2007, Mt. Ararat advanced to a semifinal Wednesday afternoon against top-seeded Cony (19-0).

“It was a major team effort,” Mt. Ararat Coach Kelly LaFountain said. “They all stepped up at different times, both on offense and defense, and made some really big plays for us.”

It was Mt. Ararat’s second win of the season over Messalonskee. On Jan. 5, the Eagles rolled to 47-32 win at Oakland.

“Their size gave us some matchup problems,” Messa-lonskee Coach Keith Derosby said. “We were hoping we could withstand it, but with Megan (Pelletier) and (Mikayla) Turner getting into foul trouble early, it really neutralized any type of weapon we could have.”

Pelletier, a 6-foot-1 senior forward who scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half, spent most of the second quarter on the bench, saddled with two fouls.

“We’ve learned that sometimes when she gets two fouls that third one comes awfully quick,” Derosby said.

Mary Badeen scored 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter to propel Messalonskee into an early 13-12 lead, but the seesaw nature of the game changed when Mt. Ararat got its inside game going in the second quarter during Pelletier’s absence.

“We know our game is inside and other teams know it’s inside, so (Messalonskee) pressured us at first, but we found a way to get the ball to where we wanted it,” said Mallory Nelson, a 5-9 junior forward who scored all of her 16 points after the first quarter.

“At first, we were trying to get it from the top of the key and go to the blocks. Instead, we started working it through the wings and down, passing it away from the defender.”

Mt. Ararat (13-6) reeled off eight points in the final two minutes of the first half to open up a 29-18 lead.

Mt. Ararat had to overcome foul troubles of its own.

Less than three minutes into the third quarter, Caitlin LaFountain, a 5-9 sophomore forward who scored all of her 13 points during the first half, was called for her fourth personal foul. From there, she spent all but the final moments of the game on the bench.

“I’m so proud how every one stepped up and played their role,” said LaFountain, the daughter of the head coach. “We all have a role and we all know our role, and we came out and played our roles.”

Messalonskee (13-6) rallied in the third quarter, sinking 9 of 11 free throws to pull to within 37-34. The deficit was 43-41 with 5:38 left, but Mt. Ararat closed with a 9-4 run to secure its first win in three tournament trips to Augusta.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH