PORTLAND — When everyone is contributing and your best player is playing like your best player … well, that’s a pretty good recipe for success.
Cape Elizabeth High and Finn Bowe, in the role of head chef, cooked up a winning combo Thursday night in a 51-30 Class B regional semifinal win against old rival Yarmouth.
“We’ve been looking for that the whole season,” said Cape Coach Jim Ray. “I think we got good contributions from everybody and it’s good to see. That makes us very dangerous if (Bowe) can play well like that and get other people involved.
“That’s what we like to consider our trademark. It hasn’t happened a lot this season but it’s getting better. It’s a good time for it to be getting better.”
Bowe finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
“I think any player tries to step it up and play their best on the big court, so I definitely try to play my best when I need to,” Bowe said. “If I can score myself or distribute to other people or help out on the glass is when I’m at my best.”
No. 2 Cape Elizabeth (13-7) advanced to the regional final at 2:45 p.m. Saturday against top-seeded Wells (14-6).
In the first half, Bowe scored seven points with 10 rebounds and seven assists.Four Capers not named Bowe made first-half 3-pointers and 6-foot-9 center Andrew Hartel made his presence known with three quick inside baskets on his way to a 10-point, 11-rebound game.
“It seemed like every time I was throwing it out to the 3-point line they were making it,” Bowe said.
Cape led 20-7 after one quarter on 8 of 12 shooting while Yarmouth had a variety of shots bounce off the rim and out, shooting 3 of 15.
“We moved the ball well, got the good looks and they knocked them down. Boy, what a difference it makes when shots go in,” Ray said.
The first two possessions foretold the outcome.
A Yarmouth layup lipped out and Liam Jacobson came down and swished the first of the Capers’ eight 3-pointers.
“I thought we had some good looks and they came out just a little more aggressive, a little more of an edge to them, and maybe even more desire,” said Yarmouth Coach Adam Smith.
“The gates were open and there was no shutting the door after that.”
Nathan Mullen (9 points) kept it rolling with two 3s in the first quarter.
The trend continued as Cape built a 32-10 lead. Gritty guard David Hare knocked down a 3 after a cross-court pass out of a double-team by Bowe. Then Tanner Carpenter got a hustle layup and a 3-pointer.
Yarmouth closed the half on a 7-0 run cutting the gap to 32-17 but never got closer.
Ashanti Haywood led Yarmouth with 12 points. Nolan Hagerty had nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Yarmouth’s only 3-pointer.
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