READFIELD — Christine Miller stared down a loss and said not tonight on three separate occasions Wednesday night.

Unfortunately for the Maranacook girls basketball team, it could have used a fourth such instance from its senior captain.

Miller tied the game in the final 30 seconds of regulation or overtime on three different occasions but it was not enough, as Medomak Valley (8-3 Eastern B) outlasted Maranacook (9-2 Western C) for a 63-57 victory in triple overtime.

“We don’t give up,” Maranacook coach Jeannine Paradis said “We play every second of the game whether it’s the start or the third overtime.”

Miller did just about everything she could to lead her team to a win Friday night, as she scored 19 of her game-high 32 points between the final three minutes of regulation and overtime. She also added five rebounds and two blocks, while senior Elizabeth D’Angelo chipped in with eight points and nine rebounds.

“Christine steps up big when we need her the most,” Paradis said. “She’s the most poised player in our league. They did a great job on her and she still managed to get to the basket.

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“She is very determined and there is nobody else I would rather have the ball at the end of the game.

Hannah Marks led Medomak with 24 points and six rebounds, while Maggie Cox added 13 of her 15 points in the second half and overtime.

While the Panthers ultimately held on for the narrow win, early on it seemed as if the Black Bears would cruise to an easy victory.

Facing a 7-4 deficit, Maranacook closed the opening quarter on a 15-0 run to take a 19-7 lead after the opening quarter. The Black Bears maintained a 28-16 lead at intermission, but a 15-0 run in favor of Medomak between the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters allowed the visitors to take a 39-34 lead with 4 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the contest.

“In the first half I think we were feeling pretty comfortable,” Miller said. “We had a good lead and then we came in the third quarter, played some pretty bad defense and I think we got down a little bit.”

Medomak led 43-36 as the game clock ticked under three minutes, but Miller refused to let her team simply fade away. She converted a conventional three-point play with 2:39 left, and on her team’s next possession, knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key to bring her team within a single point.

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The Panthers tried to run the clock down on their next possession but Miller stole the ball to give the Black Bears a chance to tie or take the lead with less than one minute remaining. Miller managed to draw a foul on her way to the basket with 26.2 seconds left, but could only make 1-of-2 at the line to tie the game a 43-43 and force the first overtime.

“It always seems that in the fourth quarter we’re going to come back,” Miller said. “That’s what has happened mostly every game this year, so it kind of just felt like we were in one of those games again.”

In the first extra session Medomak quickly built a four-point lead — setting a theme for the overtime periods — and maintained it through into the final minute. Once again though, the Black Bears had an answer just when the outcome looked to be decided.

Catherine Sanborn put in a layup with 44 seconds to play to cut the deficit in half, and before Medomak could get the ball into the frontcourt she stole it back and found Miller for a short-range bucket to tie it.

Justice Barrow had a chance to put Medomak back in front with 17 seconds remaining, but missed the front end of a one-and-one to force a second overtime.

In the second extra period, the Black Bears once again were faced with a deficit late, yet Miller was there again. This time she knifed into the lane at the top of the key past her defender and flicked a shot in off the backboard while getting fouled. Miller made the tying free throw with 14.5 seconds to play to force a third overtime after both teams turned the ball over in what little time remained.

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Once again the Panthers built a four-point lead early in the overtime, yet after Miller made a pair of free throws with 47.2 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 59-57 it seemed as if the senior guard might have one more comeback left in her.

Unfortunately for the Black Bears, that would not be the case. Medomak effectively ran the clock down on its next possession and Miller was forced to give a foul — her fifth — with 18.6 seconds to play. Marks made both foul shots and Maranacook could not get another basket to extend the game at the other end.

“We had been trying to take (Miller) away most of the second half but she’s such a scorer,” Medomak coach Randy Hooper said. “Obviously it didn’t help (them) when she fouled out, but at the same time we had some chances in the earlier overtimes.

“We were always one rebound away or one turnover away, and that’s a credit to Maranacook. They turned us over when they had to and we just didn’t get a crucial rebound until the last overtime.”

Despite the loss, Paradis was still encouraged by the way her team played — particularly without starter Sarah Clough and reserve Lauren Clough.

“A game like this is actually going to carry us a long way,” Paradis said. “It’s a great learning experience. We came out a little flat in the third quarter but when it comes down to it, we’re going to fight and grit to the end. That’s a great learning lesson for us.”

Evan Crawley — 621-5640

ecrawley@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @Evan_Crawley


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