All-Maine junior guard Maddie Fitzpatrick scored nine of her game-high 17 points in the third quarter as the second-seeded Cheverus High School Stags outscored third seed Bangor 15-6 to erase a three-point deficit en route to a 38-29 victory in their Class AA North semifinal at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Wednesday afternoon.
Defending state champ Cheverus of Portland will meet the winner of the game between top seed Oxford Hills and No. 5 Hampden Academy in Saturday’s 2 p.m. championship game.
Bangor concluded a 16-4 season.
Bangor led 19-16 at the intermission but went 10:14 without a basket in the second half as 2022 Bangor Daily News All-Maine Schoolgirl first team selection Fitzpatrick and her teammates took control of the game.
Cheverus outscored Bangor 10-2 to open the second half and took a 31-25 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fitzpatrick had a 3-pointer and three baskets in the third quarter and she also dished out two assists and had a steal.
The Stags scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter before Cassidy Ireland’s jumper with 2:46 remaining ended Bangor’s scoreless span and pulled Bangor within 36-27.
Carmen Maddix hit a floater 46 seconds later but those would be the last points Bangor would get as the Rams were held to their lowest output of the season.
Bangor scored only 10 second-half points.