BANGOR – Teams that have beaten Maranacook this season have found ways to stop point guard Toby Martin.

The Hermon girls basketball team didn’t exactly shut down the stellar junior for all of Wednesday night’s Eastern Maine Class B semifinal, but Cassie White made a difference when it counted.

The Hawk defense held the Black Bears late as Hermon knocked off Maranacook of Readfield 43-41 at the Bangor Auditorium.

“It’s the best feeling, especially when there’s minutes left and it’s a close game and you want it so bad,” said Shannon Wiggin, who had a key 3-point play late and a block that helped seal the win at the end.

Hermon, now 16-4, advances to the Eastern Maine final Saturday to face the winner of Wednesday’s late semifinal between Caribou and Camden Hills for the regional title.

Maranacook, which defeated Hermon in the semifinals last year, finished 17-2.

The teams battled back and forth all game and the Bears had a 37-36 edge with 2:55 left.

But that was their last lead of the game. Wiggin scored a fast-break layup off a steal in the open floor, drew a foul on the basket, and hit the free throw for a 39-37 lead. Martin drove inside to tie the game, but Malerie Hall (12 points, 11 rebounds) scored off a pass from Marissa McLeod and Shannon Dobbins made two free throws.

Martin hit two from the line and later astutely called a timeout as she was fighting to keep the ball inbounds. But she couldn’t get off a shot following the timeout, and the Bears missed some open looks inside as time expired.

“They’re a tough team to rebound against,” Maranacook coach Mike Packard said. “We had some good chances down near the end, but the ball didn’t go in the hoop for us.”

White stayed with Martin during the final 20 seconds.

“That’s exactly what we wanted,” White said. “We had to make her dish it off to other people and let them shoot it instead of her because she has a high percentage shot.”

Martin finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Hermon did struggle against Maranacook’s 2-3 zone at times because the Hawks went a bit cold from the floor. Hermon was 0-for-13 from 3-point range.

Wiggin chipped in with nine points and six rebounds. McLeod had six boards.

“We had to rebound,” Wiggin said. “That was the key. We wanted put-backs.”

Maranacook was without Kim Denbow, who tweaked a knee injury in the quarterfinals, and Jackie Mrazik, who sprained her ankle during practice Tuesday.

HAWKS 43, BLACK BEARS 41

Hermon (16-4) Maranacook (17-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

McLeod 2 11 0 0 4 Martin 7 19 19

Macdonald 1 4 3 3 5 Violette 3 11 2 5 8

Dobbins 0 4 3 4 3 Pullen 0 1 0

White 4 12 2 2 10 Bardaglio 1 2

Wiggin 4 10 1 1 9 Mason 1 6 2

Hall 4 9 4 5 12 Bean 3 10 3 10

Gibson 0 0 0 1 0

Totals 15 50 13 16 43 15 49 13 41

Hermon 13 17 29 43

Maranacook 8 19 28 41

3-pt. goals ? Hermon (0-13): McLeod 0-7, Dobbins 0-2, White 0-4; Maranacook (3-14): Martin 2-8, Bean 1-3, Violette 0-3