PORTLAND, Maine - The ball rolled around, ended up in Marshwood High School senior guard Maddy Poitras' hands, who then quickly passed the ball to fellow senior guard Natalie Lathrop in the final seconds of a tied game in the fourth quarter of Friday's Class B South girls basketball quarterfinal game against Greely.
Lathrop's 3-point shot from the right wing as time expired banked off the glass, went through the hoop, and sent the fifth-seeded Hawks to a near-midcourt celebration with a 46-43 win over No. 4 Greely at The Expo.
Lathrop, who had a team-high 17 points, didn't think her shot was going in.
"I just threw it up there," Lathrop laughed. "I was like it's either bricking or it's going in, and thankfully it banked off and went in."
What was Marshwood head coach Angie Littlefield's immediate feeling following the game-winning shot?
"Relief and thank God we're not going into overtime," she said.
Who's up next
Marshwood improved to 14-5, and will face top-seeded Gray-New Gloucester (18-1) on Wednesday in a semifinal. Scheduled tip is 2:45 at The Expo. GNG beat No. 8 Freeport in Friday's late quarterfinal. Marshwood did not play GNG in the regular season.
Marshwood lost to Gray-New Gloucester, 53-47 in last year's Class A South semifinal round.
"We didn't (beat Gray-New Gloucester) last year, so this is our chance to really make a statement," Littlefield said. "We've been preparing for this and we can do it. I think we've got the right mindset."
Poitras steal leads to game-winning basket
Poitras, who came up with a steal on Greely's last possession, allowed Marshwood to hang on for the last shot with the chance to win. The Hawks started the possession with 35 seconds left.
"It was just amazing," Poitras said. "I went right up to (Lathrop) and I was just so happy, and screaming, and (jumping) up and down. I gave her a big hug."
Isabelle Tice scored 14 points for Marshwood, while Jolie Folger had eight and Renee St. Pierre seven.
Lathrop clutch in big moments
Lathrop is no stranger to the big moments, as she hit a similar game-winning shot in a 59-56 win over Gray-New Gloucester in her junior year.
"I just knew we had a couple of seconds left," Lathrop said. "And I knew (Coach Littlefield) wanted (the ball) in me or (Isabelle) Tice's hands. I just knew I had to get it up there. I just (shot) it and hoped for the best."
Littlefield said Lathrop's game-winner was a good morale boost for the entire team.
"(The girls) were pumped for her, but pumped for themselves that they made it through (this game)," Littlefield said. "If the (game-winning shot) was going to happen, it was going to be (Lathrop)."
"It feels great," Lathrop said on producing in clutch moments. "I just love the energy in (The Expo). I think it really shows everyone what we're made of ... it shows people we're here to win."
Marshwood, Greely tied going into fourth
Marshwood and Greely were tied 35-35 to begin the fourth. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Folger and Tice gave Marshwood a 41-35 lead. But, Greely responded with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 43-43.
"It was a big game for us," Poitras said. "We didn't come out strong, but the second half, we came out on defense and locked it down. It all just worked out in the end."
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Watch Marshwood win at buzzer in Maine girls basketball playoff opener