AUGUSTA – It’s the kind of shot Manny Martinez has made dozens of times before – but never when awake.

But the 5-foot-7 guard lived out the dream Monday night, floating a short runner over the outstretched arms of 6-foot-10 center Marc Zaharchuk with eight-tenths of a second remaining to give Central Aroostook of Mars Hill a stunning 54-53 victory over Richmond in the Class D boys basketball state final at the Augusta Civic Center.

“As a little kid playing by yourself, you think about these kinds of shots,” said Martinez. “You count down the time and you shoot it, and you just dream of it going in.”

“It’s just crazy.”

The shot and the victory capped off an undefeated season for Central Aroostook, which finished 22-0 and won the program’s third state championship in the last four years.

Richmond finishes at 19-2.

Martinez’s game-winner was the last of five lead changes in the game’s final two minutes, coming after Zaharchuk had scored an inside basket to give Richmond a 53-52 lead seconds earlier.

Central Aroostook advanced the ball near midcourt before calling time with 8.3 seconds left.

Kasey Brewer then inbounded the ball to Martinez, who dribbled to the left side and went around a double-screen to find an open lane to the basket.

Martinez kept going, and only the 6-10 Zaharchuk reacted – but not quite in time as Martinez lofted a shot softly off the backboard and through the net.

“It worked exactly how we designed it,” said Central Aroostook coach Tim Brewer. “We used Cam [York] for a decoy, came over the top with the two screens, and then the same two guys set a screen for Manny on the left side of the court. Once he got around the corner there was no help-side [defense] and he got a good look at the hoop.”

Richmond, which played a diamond-and-one defense that focused on York throughout the game, thought Central Aroostook would try to run its offense through the Eastern D tourney MVP one more time in the final seconds.

“I thought they would try to get it to the York kid,” said Richmond coach Paul Lancaster. “I wanted to defend all their players, and we talked about switching on the screens. The Martinez kid’s just a great player … the kid made a great shot.”

Richmond had one final chance, but a long inbounding pass to Zaharchuk was tipped out of bounds as time expired.

“The kids came over when we were down one with nine seconds to go, and I told them all we’ve got to do is execute,” said Brewer. “If we score the game’s all over, and they just came out and ran that play to perfection. I just can’t believe it.”

Martinez finished with a game-high 20 points for the Panthers, while Kasey Brewer came off the bench to score 12 and York added 10.

Central Aroostook also got a huge night from 6-1 twins Logan and Blake McCarthy, who battled defensively against Zaharchuk and limited the Richmond center – who also was hampered by foul trouble – to 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field.

“All week we’ve been practicing, me and my brother,” said Logan McCarthy. “When he got the ball we wanted to double-team him, try not to foul him and make him make tough shots.”

Sophomore guard Eric Murrin led Richmond with 17 points, 15 in the first half when he tied a Class D state final-record with five 3-point goals.

In fact, both teams settled for long-range shots during the first two quarters, combining for 34 3-point attempts before intermission.

Richmond made seven to Central Aroostook’s three, but the Panthers compensated for that by making all 12 of their free throws – compared to 1 of 2 for the Bobcats – to earn a 30-30 tie at the break.

Richmond scored the first seven points of the third quarter to take a measure of control, as the Bobcats began to look more for Zaharchuk inside and he responded with two quick baskets after a Brandon Lancaster 3-pointer.

But Central Aroostook – now 5-0 in state finals – wouldn’t go away.

The Panthers used their scrappy defense to speed up the game, and gradually inched their way back.

Freshman Logan McLaughlin scored on a follow-up shot and fed Kasey Brewer for a layup as Central Aroostook drew within 47-42 by the end of the third period.

With Zaharchuk sidelined with his fourth foul, the Panthers kept coming. Martinez hit a 3-pointer and Blake McCarthy scored after grabbing an offensive rebound to close the gap to 49-47, and Kasey Brewer followed with a 3-pointer from deep in the right corner off a Blake McCarthy kick-out pass to give Central Aroostook a 50-49 lead, its first edge of the half.

“They were keying on Cameron and Manny, so it left me open a lot,” Brewer said. “I was missing a lot, but I just got in the corner and found an opening and luckily it went that time.”

Zaharchuk scored from the low post to regain the lead for Richmond with 1:10 left, but after an exchange of turnovers Logan McCarthy grabbed an offensive rebound and fed brother Blake for a layup to give Central Aroostook a 52-51 lead with 33 seconds left.

Richmond returned to its main man for one more basket, then one of Central Aroostook’s smallest players delivered the biggest shot of his life.

“I didn’t want to throw it up there too hard off the glass because if I shot it too hard it wouldn’t go in,” said Martinez, “so I just floated it up as soft as I could. I fell on the ground, looked up and saw it go in.”

eclark@bangordailynews.net

990-8045

PANTHERS 54, BOBCATS 53

Cen. Aroostook (22-0) Richmond (19-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Martinez 7 13 2 2 20 Holden 2 5 5

York 3 8 4 4 10 Woods 2 2 0 5

McLaughlin 1 7 0 0 2 S. Carter 0 0

Brewer 3 11 4 4 12 Lancaster 4 9

Kelly 0 0 0 0 0 Murrin 6 12 17

B. McCrthy 2 4 0 0 4 Miller 0 4 0

L. McCrthy 2 3 2 2 6 Carver 2 2 4

Zaharchk 6 13 13

Totals 18 46 12 12 54 Totals 22 50 53

Cent. Aroostook 13 30 42 54

Richmond 16 30 47 53

3-pt. goals – Central Aroostook (6-26): Martinez 4-7, Brewer 2-9, York 0-4, McLaughlin 0-6; Richmond (8-23): Murrin 5-9, Holden 1-3, Woods 1-1, Lancaster 1-5, S. Carter 0-1, Miller 0-4