Gott, Mariners overcome UMF MMA collects NAC crown

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CASTINE – Michelle Gott had a simple message as she and her teammates huddled during a timeout late in Saturday afternoon’s 65-56 win over defending champ UMaine-Farmington in their North Atlantic Conference title game.

Momentum was slipping from her Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball team, but she was confident they could get it back.

“It’s the first time in my four years that anyone’s said ‘Coach, get me the ball,’ so we got her the ball,” said MMA head coach Craig Dagan. “Shelly Gott put us on her shoulders today.”

The sophomore guard from Bernard scored nine of her game-high 21 points in a three-minute span to turn a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead and spur her Mariners to the triumph.

The 24-4 Mariners’ first NAC crown since 2002 also secured them an automatic berth in the 50-team NCAA Division III Tournament.

Gott – the eventual tournament MVP – scored 12 in the first 211/2 minutes of the game, but an 11-minute scoring drought for her coincided with a 19-2 UMF run that erased a 14-point MMA lead.

Gott got her offense going again by canning a 3-pointer from the left wing off an Alyssa Burns assist with 7:42 to play. Just 40 seconds later, it was another 3 from the left wing, this time off a Julia Knights pass. Following a UMF foul shot, Gott scored three more, this time conventionally off a shot from the right block off a pass from Amanda Johnson, a foul, and a free throw.

“I shoot it when I’m open. I don’t really think about it,” Gott said matter-of-factly.

Gott wasn’t the only one to provide an invaluable effort. Burns, who was also named to the NAC all-tourney team, turned in the game’s best overall effort with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

“We knew from playing them before that they were going to double me inside, so coach told me to keep my composure and look for the open person when they doubled down,” said the Dixfield native and sophomore transfer from Division II American International College (Mass.).

The Beavers scratched back to close the gap to four points with 2:42 to play, but missed three straight foul shots while MMA hit four straight and five of eight in the final 89 seconds to close out the win.

Caitlyn Grant, a freshman from Rockland, had 11 points and four assists in MMA’s overall team effort. Bangor’s Johnson helped hold UMF catalyst Karen Sirois (11 points, six assists) in check late as the sophomore from Augusta had only one point in the second half. Freshman Kaitlyn Leeman had six points and two steals off the bench.

Kari Simpson led the 21-7 Beavers with 15 points, two blocks and two steals. Belfast’s Kate LaHaye had 11 points.

“When Gott hit those two 3’s, it took the wind out of our sails,” said UMF coach Jamie Beaudoin. “Plus they got some stops when we needed points to slow them down.”

MARINERS 65, BEAVERS 56

UM-Farmington (21-7) Maine Maritime (24-4)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Boyd 0 1 0 0 0 Grant 4 6 2 11

Cyr 1 4 0 0 2 Leeman 2 3 1 6

Rideout 1 6 3 4 5 Marshall 1 2

Simpson 7 13 0 0 15 Burns 4 8 15

Sawyer 0 5 3 4 3 Johnson 1 4 3

Sirois 4 9 1 4 11 Gott 7 15 21

Stanley 1 3 0 0 3 Hayden 1 1 2

LaHaye 3 6 5 6 11 Freeman 0 0 0

Haines 2 4 0 0 6 Knights 2 10 5

Parker 0 0 0 0

Totals 19 51 12 18 56 Totals 22 50 13 17 65

UM-Farmington 27 56

Maine Maritime Acad. 38 65

3-pt. goals – UMF (6-11): Haines 2-2, Sirois 2-4, Stanley 1-1, Simpson 1-2, Cyr 0-1, Sawyer 0-1; MMA (8-18): Gott 4-7, Leeman 1-1, Grant 1-3, Johnson 1-3, Knights 1-3, Marshall 0-1

Attendance: 450 (est.)