BANGOR – Lee Academy’s tough combination of run-and-gun offense, pressing defense, and tough inside play was too much for Greenville to overcome Thursday afternoon as the No. 1 Pandas earned a trip to the Eastern Maine Class D final with a 67-36 victory over the No. 5 Lakers at the Bangor Auditorium.

Senior star Shelby Pickering scored 20 points and pulled down 21 rebounds to lead a well-balanced offensive and rebounding effort, boosting Lee back into the regional final.

The Pandas will face No. 3 Ashland Saturday morning at 9:05. The No. 3 Hornets beat No. 2 Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook 50-46.

Freshman Karin Bird added 10 points to go with eight rebounds and four other players had at least four points for Lee.

The Pandas were never behind in the game, but they weren’t as sharp at times. Lee had 16 first-half turnovers and gave up some 3-pointers late that forced coach Ron Weatherbee to put his starters back in for a stretch run.

“I think we came out here excited and we missed a few,” Pickering said. “But once we started to make a few it all came together and we had a little bit less turnovers.”

Although the Pandas had trouble taking care of the ball at times, they never had a problem on the boards. Lee had a 39-16 edge at the end of the third quarter, including 13 offensive rebounds. The Pandas also had six put-backs.

The Lakers stayed in the game early but the Pandas went on a 10-0 run that lasted almost five minutes. By the time Greenville’s Hannah Breton ended the streak with a jumper off a pass from Beth Bartley, Lee had a 20-9 lead.

The Pandas then popped off a 12-2 scoring run. Lee junior Kerri Harris had six points in the quarter.

“They beat us at what we try to do,” Greenville coach Woody Bartley said. “They followed us on the press, they pushed down the court faster than we did. It was just Lee’s day.”

Pickering had a relatively quiet first half but picked up her scoring in the second with 14 points. Lee would need her points as Greenville’s Emily Fowle hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. She led the Lakers with 12 points. Bartley had 11 points and nine rebounds.

PANDAS 67, LAKERS 36

Greenville (14-5) Lee (20-0)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Theriault 0 0 0 0 0 N. Jndreu 0 0

Boucher 2 4 0 0 4 B. Harris 0 1

Fowle 4 6 1 1 12 Moors 2 5 7

Gilbert 0 0 0 0 0 Pickering 7 16 6 8 20

Martel 0 0 0 0 0 Bird 4 8 10

Muzzy 0 1 0 0 0 Gifford 4 4 8

B. Erickson 0 0 0 0 0 McLaughlin 0 0

K. Erickson 0 0 0 0 0 Ritchie 1 8 4

Larsen 0 6 1 1 1 As. Jndreu 0 2

Bartley 4 12 3 7 11 Am. Jndreu 0 1

Gary 1 8 0 0 2 K. Harris 4 7 8

R. Breton 2 13 0 0 4 Houghton 3 10 0 0 6

H. Breton 1 7 0 0 2

Ward 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 14 57 5 9 36 25 64 17 22 67

Greenville 7 12 23 36

Lee 16 37 51 67

3-pt. goals – Greenville (3-17): Fowle 3-5, H. Breton 0-2, Larsen 0-3, R. Breton 0-7; Lee (0-5): K. Harris 0-1, B. Harris 0-1, Ritchie 0-3