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AUGUSTA — Nolan Ames did the heavy lifting, and the rest of the Camden Hills boys basketball team cemented the Windjammers’ spot in the Class A North final.
Ames, a senior guard, recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds as the No. 1 Windjammers beat No. 4 Bangor 61-52 in a regional semifinal Wednesday at the Augusta Civic Center.
Camden Hills (19-1) will meet No. 3 Brunswick (16-4) at 8:30 p.m. Friday in Augusta.
“We finally are able to do it,” Ames said. “The last two years, we couldn’t do it, lost in the semifinal. This year, we’re able to do it. It’s a great feeling.”
Ames, a Mr. Maine Basketball semifinalist, scored all of his 24 points in the first three quarters, but it was his supporting cast that put the game away in the fourth. Tucker Whitley scored eight of his 10 points in the final eight minutes, while Kiefer Healey had five of his 11 points.
“I’m very, very proud of them,” Ames said. “Some of those kids haven’t played before on this court. Last year, we had some experience, but this year, it’s a whole new level. For them to step up, that’s huge.”
Bangor finished 11-9. Sophomore Nate Grunkemeyer led the Rams with 16 points, while Wyatt Chandler and Harrison Fitzpatrick each added 12.
The game was tied 11-11 after the first quarter, but Camden Hills outscored Bangor 16-10 in the second quarter — highlighted by a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer by Ames — and led 27-21 at halftime.
“I don’t know if I was ever in a groove, I don’t think I played my best,” Ames said. “But my teammates feeding me the ball, they’re helping me get into it. I can’t do it without them. We won this game as a team.”
Bangor outscored the Windjammers 21-18 in the third quarter but was held to 10 points in the fourth.
The game was a physical from the start, with both teams fighting in the post for rebounds and diving across the hardwood for loose balls.
“Credit to the boys, we got stops, we got on the floor when we needed a loose ball,” Camden Hills coach Joel Gabriele said. “I was just saying to my coaching staff: It felt like an old-fashioned tournament game. Grind it out, win possessions when you needed to. We made a little run there to extend the lead and then just took care of business in the fourth quarter.”
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