Tiana-Jo Carter posted 21 points at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor Friday night, Feb. 28, grabbing huge rebounds and making key blocks underneath to lead the Lake Region girls over Mount Desert Island, 56-47, and earn them the Class B title.

Lake Region finishes their year 21-1; their only loss came early in the regular season to Wells, who they ultimately defeated in the Class B West Final for the chance to battle MDI.

MDI snatched and held a lead in the opening minutes; Hannah Shaw and Sarah Phelps adding quick points. The Lakers kept close, though, on strong play by Carter, Jordan Turner and Sierra Hancock. In the waning minutes of the first quarter, Carter dished to Turner, inside-low, and Turner laid the ball to seize a 7-6 lead.

From there, Lake Region built, controlling play for a long stretch. 6-foot-2 Carter continued to add baskets from below, and to seize frequent rebounds both offensive and defensive. The outside play – the nimble ball-handling and footwork, the confident passing – of Hancock and her sister, Sarah, gave the Lakers a punchy attack that set up reliable baseline work and those tough finishes inside.

Lake Region led 11-6 after one, an advantage they grew to 18-6 midway through the second. MDI could find no real offensive groove; their shots from outside wouldn’t fall and their attempts down low consistently bumped up against Carter. When a key Trojans shooter, Kelsey Shaw, got in foul trouble, the Lakers had all the momentum.

Momentarily, though, Sierra Myrick drained a long three, and MDI finally seemed to click. Even with Shaw on the bench, they assembled a powerful run, chewing through the vast majority of their deficit in short order. They forced several turnovers – Lake Region had 12 in the first half versus MDI’s eight – in the final minutes before the break and at the buzzer trailed by only two, 23-21.

The second half, however, belonged almost entirely to the Lakers. They opened with a two; Meghan VanLoan then swiped a pair of defensive rebounds on a pair of consecutive Trojans possessions, Sierra Hancock knocked down a three and Carter another two before MDI could finally notch a bucket.

Carter looked unstoppable beneath the net, repeatedly catching her own rebounds or those of her teammates to finish scoring plays. To this assault, the Trojans simply had no answer; they couldn’t assemble a comeback run as they had in the previous half and by the final horn had fallen behind 56-47.

It’s the Lady Lakers’ first state title, and it’s particularly satisfying no doubt. They fell in the final last year to Presque Isle – and the year before as well, again to Presque Isle. Perhaps a little payback against the Wildcats would’ve sweetened Lake Region’s victory even further, but MDI offed Presque Isle to reach the big game. Regardless, the Lady Lakers will surely exult in the happiness of a quest finally fulfilled.

In addition to Carter’s 21 points, Sierra Hancock posted 13, Sarah Hancock seven, and Jordan Turner 10.

CeCe Hancock (3) drives to the hoop through two Mount Desert Island defenders.Sarah Hancock (12) makes a way for an easy two during the action last Friday night in Bangor.Tiana Jo Carter (33), a finalist for Miss Maine Basketball, battles against a barrage of MDI players.The Lake Region High School Lady Lakers hold the Class B girls basketball trophy.