BANGOR – It’s brand new territory for two Eastern Maine Class D boys semifinalists.

Greenville finds itself in the semifinals for the first time since 1971 and although its opponent, Jonesport-Beals, is no stranger to the semis, it hasn’t advanced on the strength of a slow, deliberate, half-court offense before in Ordie Alley’s 34-year tenure.

The Lakers won their first quarterfinal in 31 years with a 55-47 victory over Katahdin of Sherman Station on Monday night. They’ll face the Royals – 78-62 overtime winners over Central Aroostook of Mars Hill – at 8:35 p.m. Thursday.

Tyler Muzzy led the Lakers’ charge with 29 points and 22 rebounds – both game highs.

“My goal was to get 20 rebounds,” said the 6-foot-2 senior forward. “I didn’t care about the points because if you control the boards, you control the game.”

The 15-4 Lakers did that and then some as they outrebounded the Cougars 29-13 on the offensive boards and 59-33 overall.

Muzzy got plenty of help from 6-foot-2 senior center Brian Campbell (10 points and 18 rebounds).

“Brian stepped up big. I’ll tell you what, he’s only averaging six rebounds a game,” said Muzzy.

Senior forward Dustin Heath led 9-11 Katahdin with 15 points and six rebounds as Greenville’s mix of 3-2, 2-1-1 and 1-3-1 zones held the shooters (guards) in check.Monday afternoon, the “Runnin’ Royals” didn’t run much, but that was expected as even Alley, one of the biggest proponents of run-and-gun ball, has slowed it down with a power-forward starting five after graduating four of five starters last season.

Big man Alvin Beal was just that as his 33-point, 20-rebound effort led the 12-8 Royals.

The Royals led most of the game but had to withstand a big fourth-quarter rally as the Panthers outscored the Royals 8-2 to take a 56-53 lead with 1:50 left. After going 3-for-7 from the line in the period, Beal had a chance to tie it with 18 seconds left and two free throws. He hit both to make it 57-57.

After a CAHS timeout, the Panthers’ A.J. Wiggins scored his only points of the game to make it 59-57 with three seconds left. Teammate Bryan Grew drove to the top of the key for a last shot but lost the ball and then recovered it during a scramble on the left block. While lying on his back, he shoveled the ball to Wiggins, who scored from the block with a bank shot.

With 2.6 seconds left, Beal took a long inbounds pass from the opposite baseline to the left wing. The pass was high and both he and Grew lunged at it. Grew was called for a foul with 2.3 seconds left and Beal went to the line.

“I was surprised they called that. … Very surprised,” said Beal. “I thought, ‘Oh no! I missed the ball!’ I fell on the floor and then the ref blew the whistle. I was relieved.”

Beal hit both shots to retie the game. A half-court heave by the Panthers missed the rim and it was on to overtime, where it would be all Beal for the first 60 seconds.

First he scored on an offensive rebound to make it 61-59, then he grabbed a defensive board. He was fouled on the other end and hit both shots. Following another CAHS miss and Beal rebound, he drew another foul – this one the fifth on Grew, the third CAHS starter to foul out of the game – and made two more free throws.

Beal, 11-for-11 from the line in the final 41/2 minutes, ignited a 10-0 OT run. The Panthers didn’t score until there was just 1:27 left.

Abraham Beal also paced the Royals with 24 points. Teammate Kyle Mitchell scored nine of his 11 points in the first half and had 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Lance Bradstreet had 11 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter, Dan Codrey (13 points, 11 boards) fouled out with 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and Jason Woodworth had 11 points for the 14-6 Panthers.

ROYALS 78, PANTHERS 62 (OT)

Jonesport-Beals (12-8) Central Aroostook (14-6)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Libby 0 0 0 0 0 Woodworth 3 15 2 2 11

Manheim 0 0 0 0 0 Clockedile 1 2

Mitchell 5 9 1 4 11 Wiggins 1 6 2

Alley 0 0 0 0 0 Bradstreet 4 11

Dyer 0 0 0 0 0 Grew 5 11 7 10 19

Kelley 1 6 4 6 6 Tapley 0 2 0

Al.Beal 8 17 17 21 33 Collins 0 4 1

Durkee 0 2 0 1 0 Grivois 0 1 0

Ab.Beal 6 15 10 11 24 Walsh 1 2 2

Berry 0 0 0 0 0 Kilcollins 0 1

D.Beal 0 3 0 0 0 Codrey 4 13 13

Merchant 1 4 2 4 4

Chandler 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 21 56 34 47 78 19 63 19 28 62

Jonesport-Beals 17 31 41 59 78

Central Aroostook 14 24 36 59 62

3-pt. goals: Jonesport-Beals (2-6): Ab. Beal 2-4, Kelley 0-2; Central Aroostook (5-17): Woodworth 3-11, Grew 2-4, Tapley 0-1, Collins 0-1.

LAKERS 55, COUGARS 47

Katahdin (9-11) Greenville (15-4)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Rush 0 0 0 0 0 Boucher 1 7 0 3

Cyr 0 0 0 0 0 Muzzy 10 22 7 10 29

Davis 0 0 0 0 0 Gilbert 4 13 11

Willigar 0 1 0 0 0 R. Douglass 0 0

Sullivan 2 7 0 0 5 Aucoin 1 12 2

Ja. Cullen 0 0 2 2 2 B. Campbell 5 10 0 0 10

McNally 1 4 6 6 8

T. Rodgerson 4 15 0 0 9

Heath 5 15 0 0 15

D. Rodgerson 3 16 1 3 8

Totals 15 58 9 11 47 Totals 21 68 13 55

Katahdin 9 23 35 47

Greenville 12 25 43 55

3-pt. goals: Katahdin (8-25): Heath 5-9, Sullivan 1-3, D. Rodgerson 1-5, T. Rodgerson 1-8; Greenville (6-27): Gilbert 3-4, Muzzy 2-6, Boucher 1-7, R. Douglass 0-2, Aucoin 0-8.