AUGUSTA — What it lacked in a poor start Wednesday, the Deering girls’ basketball team made up for with a strong finish.
The Rams overcame an early 15-point deficit to beat Cheverus 50-42 in a Class AA North quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center.
Deering advances to next Tuesday’s regional semifinal against top-ranked Oxford Hills. The Vikings won the first meeting, 44-37.
Deering (12-7) was nearly shut out in the opening quarter, missing its first 14 shots and trailed 10-0 to start the game. The deficit grew as large at 25-10 in the second quarter.
Down 27-17 at the half, Deering tied the game 34-34 by the end of the third quarter, and then outscored Cheverus 8-2 to start the fourth. The Rams padded the lead from there to earn the comeback win.
Tasia Titherington led Deering with 20 points after being blanked in the first quarter. Delaney Haines added 13. It was her five straight points to end the third that tied the game. Abby Ramirez had six points, all in the fourth quarter.
Cheverus (10-9) got 20 from Abby Cavallaro, including six 3’s. Emme Poulin added 12. In the first half, Cheverus had eight field goals, seven were 3’s. But the Stags missed its first four shots in the fourth and finished 4-for-14 from the floor in the final quarter.
Deering had closed the gap to one point twice in the third but a 3 from Cavallaro made it 34-29 with 1:36 left. A 3 and another basket from Haines tied it 34-34.
To start the fourth, Mandy Mastropasqua gave Deering its first lead of the game. Titherington hit two free throws to make it 38-34. After a basket by Deidre Sanbord cut it to 38-36, Ramirez scored on a drive and then finished off a backdoor cut and pass from Amanda Brett. That gave Deering the 42-36 lead.
Cheverus got a basket by Poulin but Haines scored and free throws by Ramirez and Titherington opened the lead to 48-38. A 3 by Cavallaro and a late basket by Brooke Dawson trimmed the lead.
Cheverus scored the first 10 points of the game on 3’s by Dawson and Poulin. Then Cavallaro turned the 10-2 lead into the 15-point advantage with four 3’s in the second quarter. Deering managed to get within 10 points on a drive and 3 by Titherington late in the first half.
kmills@sunjournal.com
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