AUGUSTA — Making shots was a struggle for both teams in the Western Class C girls’ basketball semifinal between Madison and Old Orchard Beach — until the very end of regulation and early in overtime Thursday.
Madison’s Cristie Vicneire hit a key 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter and another early in overtime as the second-seeded Bulldogs earned a 46-40 victory at the Augusta Civic Center.
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“It was definitely a tough game. We didn’t play our best game at all. It was a really hard win for us,” Vicneire said. “We kept it together in the end and I think we outplayed them in the overtime.”
After Vicneire’s 3-pointer late in regulation gave Madison a 34-33 lead, Old Orchard sophomore Abby Dubois put the No. 3 Seagulls (14-6) back in front with 14.8 seconds remaining with a steal and layup.
Madison tied the game when Samantha Bruce made 1 of 2 free throws with 6.5 seconds left.
In overtime, Dubois again put Old Orchard ahead with a driving layup. But Vicneire gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with her second 3-pointer.
“I realized we were down by two and I knew that we needed a shot like that and I was open, so I figured I’d take it and if I missed I knew someone would be there to get the rebound because we had the intensity at that point,” Vicneire said.
Madison pulled away with an inside basket by Emily Mc-Kenney and 6 of 8 free throws, including two critical makes by Bruce after a Christina Colman 3-pointer.
Bruce finished with 17 points. Vicneire scored 12 of her 14 after halftime.
Colman and Dubois each had 12 for Old Orchard.
Madison (17-3) advances to the regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday against fourth-seeded Waynflete.
Overall, both teams struggled to make shots. Madison protected the perimeter against Old Orchard’s 3-point offense and focused on Colman, a senior center who scored 23 points in the quarterfinals. Old Orchard was 11 of 60 from the floor and committed 23 turnovers.
The Seagulls used a zone press and an extended half-court zone defense in which they fronted the post. They forced Madison into 26 turnovers, and the Bulldogs shot 14 of 50.
Despite making just two shots in a 19-minute stretch starting in the second quarter, OOB was still in range midway through the fourth, trailing 28-25.
Olivia Dubois hit a layup off a steal, and a few minutes later Colman finally got loose for a 3-poitner that tied the game, 31-31.
Abby Dubois followed with a layup for the Seagulls’ first lead since midway through the second quarter.
Staff Writer Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or at:
scraig@mainetoday.com
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