BANGOR – The way it had shot the basketball during the first two rounds of the Eastern Maine Class D tournament, Lee Academy felt fortunate to have even reached Saturday’s regional championship game.

The Pandas, blessed with postseason experience, didn’t lose their confidence. Instead, they saved their best for last.

Shelby Pickering and Kristin Hersom combined to score 27 first half points as second-seeded Lee Academy shot 50 percent from the field while racing to an early lead and the EM championship with a comfortable 65-35 girls victory over No. 4 Shead of Eastport at the Bangor Auditorium.

The 20-2 Pandas of interim coach Randy Harris advance to Saturday’s 1 p.m. state title game against Western Maine champ Rangeley (20-0) at the Augusta Civic Center.

It was the first-ever Eastern Maine girls basketball crown for Lee Academy, which prevailed after the mysterious resignation of head coach Carrie Goodhue on Jan. 26. Most of the Pandas’ upperclassmen were playing in their eighth straight EM title game, including soccer, softball, and basketball.

“Most of those girls have been there before,” Harris said of handling any big-game jitters. “We didn’t worry about the pressure. We kind of let it take care of itself.”

While Lee players were happy with their win, they were somewhat reserved in their postgame celebration.

“I’ve never ended a season without being in a championship game,” explained Pickering, who poured in 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and made three steals. “It’s supposed to end like this,” she concluded.

The Pandas went into the championship game having trailed with 15 seconds left in their two previous games. Lee, which had shot a combined 25 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the foul line in the quarterfinals and semifinals, was very much on target Saturday.

Shead (16-6) implemented a diamond-and-one defense to slow down Pickering, but she was able to find room to maneuver and her teammates helped by hitting shots early.

Hersom (14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots) ignited the Pandas’ first spurt, sandwiching an 18-footer and an offensive rebound basket around Ashlee Gifford’s 10-footer from the lane.

Laureta Ricker answered with a 3-pointer for Shead, but Pickering hit a fall-away jumper and the ensuing foul shot, and added another free throw before Marci Moors scored a fast-break layup and hit a 15-footer as Lee pushed its lead to 20-9 late in the first.

Shead coach Bob Davis concurred, admitting he knew the Pandas were due to overcome their shooting woes.

“That’s what scared me. I knew they were going to bust out sooner or later,” Davis said.

The smaller Tigerettes weren’t able to generate any momentum. Their defense was unable to stop the Pandas and Shead shot poorly from the perimeter against Lee’s 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defenses.

Lee’s bigger, stronger players also gave it a 57-35 rebounding advantage.

“We didn’t shoot real well, but I thought our defense gave up a little too many easy hoops,” Davis said. “They had their way [with us].”

Moors provided seven points and three assists for the Pandas, while Samantha Cole added four points and seven rebounds and Gifford had a steady all-around effort.

Ricker paced Shead, which shot 20 percent, with eight points and two steals.

The Pandas led by 10 points after a quarter and put the game out of reach in the second. Lee tallied 10 unanswered points to open the period, then Hersom hit two 3-pointers to help extend the lead to 40-15.

“Kristin [Hersom] hit a couple shots and Marci [Moors] had a few,” Pickering said. “They triggered everyone else to make shots.”

Lee made only 28 field goals in the first two rounds, but hit 24 Saturday and shot 39 percent.

“With our first two games, we knew all we could do was go up, because we were definitely playing our worst, shooting-wise,” Hersom said.

PANDAS 65, TIGERETTES 35

Shead (15-6) Lee Acad. (20-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

McPhail 0 4 2 2 2 Pickering 6 12 9 12 21

Richardson 1 4 0 0 2 Hersom 6 10 14

Davis 2 16 0 0 4 Cole 2 6 4

Cook 1 3 0 0 2 Ham 1 5 0 2

Morrison 0 5 2 2 2 M. Moors 3 7

Ricker 3 8 0 0 8 Maxwell 2 4 4

Murphy 2 4 0 1 5 As.Jandrau 1 3

Altvater 1 5 0 0 2 J. Moors 1 3

Constant 2 6 0 0 4 King 1 2 3

Cox 1 2 0 0 2 Gifford 1 6 0 2

Pottle 0 4 0 0 0 Am.Jandrau 0 2

Candelmo 0 1 0 0 0 Worcester 0 0

Cummings 1 4 0 0 2 Hanscom 0 1 0

Biss 0 2 0 0 0

Martinez 0 1 0 0 0

Totals 14 69 4 5 35 Totals 24 60 14 23 65

Shead 11 17 24 35

Lee Acad. 21 40 54 65

3-pt. goals ? Shead (3-22): Pottle 0-3, McPhail 0-1, Ricker 2-5, Davis 0-11, Murphy 1-1, Constant 0-1; Lee (3-8): Am. Jandreau 0-1, Hersom 2-3, Ham 0-2, Gifford 0-1, King 1-1