BANGOR- The top seeded Easton Bears built an 11 point first half lead only to see the Washburn Beavers rally and force overtime but a key steal in the extra session was just enough to claim a 52-48 win in a Maine Principals’ Association Class D Boys semifinal game played at the Cross Insurance Center Thursday night.
Easton built a nine point advantage after the first period of play as Drew Sotomayor and Logan Halvorson combined for 10 of the Bears 15 points to make it 15-6 after one quarter.
Easton led by as many as 11 at 19-8 in the second quarter. Washburn scored six of the final eight points before halftime to make it 21-14 at the break.
Washburn senior guard Noah Caron came alive in the third quarter scoring nine points in the period. Derek Baker also had a three-pointer and two baskets for seven points as Washburn outscored Easton 18-13 in the period cut the Bears lead down to 34-32 after three.
Halvorson nailed back to back three-pointers to open up the fourth quarter to extend the lead back to eight at 40-32. Washburn responded with a two for two effort at the line from McCall Turner and a Baker three to make it 40-37. The Beavers continued the run that was a 13-3 scoring spurt and took their first lead of the game when Baker followed up a Caron miss with a put back layup that made it 45-43 Washburn. Sotomayor tied the game with two free throws with just 53 seconds left. Washburn then called a timeout and worked the clock for a final shot of regulation. Turner got a good look at a three in the closing seconds that bounced off the rim and into the hand of Baker who caught it with his right arm and threw up a one handed shot that fell short as the buzzer sounded.
In the overtime Washburn had a hard time getting shots to fall but a Parker Thompson driving shot off the glass late in overtime cut the Easton lead down to 49-48 with just 26 seconds left. Easton had the lead throughout the overtime by as many as three. Easton junior forward Jacob Flewelling sliced through the defense for a layup that made it 51-48 but Washburn had one more chance. Washburn looked to be going for a tie on a three-pointer but Carons pass to Jarrett Olson was picked off by Sotomayor and he was fouled and made one of two from the line with less than a second left on the clock to claim the victory for the Bears.
Fourth seeded Washburn, who finishes at 14-6, they were led by Caron who had 19 points, 13 coming in the second half. Baker finished with nine, and Olson had eight.
For the Easton Bears, now 18-2, Sotomayor and Halvorson both had 16 points while junior center Jordan Doody had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Easton will now play the Southern Aroostook Warriors in the Class D Regional final Saturday morning at 10:45 a.m. at the Cross Insurance Center.
