From the beginning of the game, No. 8 Camden Hills played shot for shot with the top-seeded Brewer Witches in Class A North.
It was a David and Goliath type of matchup in the Augusta Civic Center, and the Windjammers even had a halftime lead, but led by Mr. Maine Basketball semifinalist Brady Saunders, Brewer was able to sneak out a 59-46 victory and avoid what would have been the biggest upset of the season.
Brewer (18-1) will face No. 5 Cony (12-7) on Wednesday in the A North semifinal.
Camden Hills (5-14) trailed after one quarter, but took a 29-22 lead into halftime. The Windjammers held Brewer to a shooting percentage in the 30s and were able to take advantage of the Witches’ mistakes.
In the third, Saunders scored his 1,000th career point on a free throw that brought the Witches within 29-26 with five minutes to play. Saunders added 11 of his 27 points in the third and the momentum from the milestone and the roaring crowd that cheered for him helped Brewer retake the lead and never look back.
Will Duke led Camden Hills with 15 points and freshman Nolan Ames added 14 points.
