GARDINER — At times Tuesday night, the Gardiner girls’ basketball team struggled to find a rhythm in its Eastern Class B prelim against Old Town.

But the Tigers found a way to win and when you haven’t been to the tournament in eight years, any win is a good one.

“It was ugly but we got the win,” Coach Mike Gray said following his team’s 42-30 victory.

The win put the eighth-seeded Tigers (12-7) into a Saturday quarterfinal against top-ranked Presque Isle at the Bangor Auditorium.

In some respects this game was over in the first two minutes.

Cortney Treadwell, Old Town’s 6-foot-3 center, aggravated a knee injury while chasing a rebound and didn’t return.

“She’s had some knee issues over the last couple of seasons,” Old Town Coach Dana Maxim said. “But she’s worked hard to rehab that knee to get back to this point and she’s been strong all season long.”

The Tigers weren’t able to exploit Treadwell’s absence until the second half. They led just 15-13 at the half, but were able to go inside in the third period. Katie McAllister, Kelly Macomber and Jenna Moore all contributed inside.

“We knew we had to win it to go to Bangor,” said McAllister, who scored a game-high 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

McAllister posted up for three of her four second-half baskets while scoring the other against Old Town’s press.

“She’s not that big but she has some great post moves,” Gray said.

“And she’s tough. She creates contact and she took two huge charges on the other end. She’s not afraid of contact.”

The Tigers led 27-18 at the end of three quarters and the Coyotes (10-9) drew no closer than six points the rest of the way. When they did close to six, Gardiner went to McAllister for two quick hoops.

BOYS’ HOCKEY

BANGOR 9, MARANACOOK-HALL-DALE-WINTHROP 2: Bangor (10-7) scored three goals in a six-minute span late in the first period and beat the Hawks (11-5) at Kents Hill in a game between teams chasing one of the four home-ice berths in the Eastern Class A playoffs.