PORTLAND — Theo Bowe of Cape Elizabeth stole the show but Camden Hills got the title.

Trailing by three points at halftime, the tall and talented Windjammers recommitted to their strong inside game and wore down the feisty Capers, capturing the Class B boys’ basketball state title with a 68-59 victory Friday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

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Joey Doane of Cape Elizabeth heads to the basket on a breakaway during the Class B state final at the Cumberland County Civic Center. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Theo Bowe, who scored 36 points for Cape Elizabeth, heads to the basket after slipping past Adam Carlsen of Camden Hills on a baseline drive. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Kyle Danielson of Cape Elizabeth sends the ball back to the basket after collecting an offensive rebound in back of Adam Landwehr of Camden Hills. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

The nets are around their necks, the gold ball is in their hands and the celebration has begun for unbeaten Camden Hills’ Class B state championship. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Camden Hills wasted little time bringing the gold ball to their fans Friday night. And no wonder. The Windjammers, who also won the Class B championship two years ago, fell to Falmouth in last year’s overtime final in Bangor and used it as motivation throughout a 22-0 season. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Tyler McFarland, who scored 19 of his 24 points for Camden Hills in the second half Friday night, has room for a jumper as Theo Bowe defends for Cape Elizabeth. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Bowe scored 22 points in the first half and finished with 36 in one of the best state title-game performances.

“I left it all on the court,” he said.

Bowe’s 3-pointer just before halftime gave Cape (17-5) a 34-31 lead.

But Camden Hills (22-0) outscored Cape 18-10 in the third quarter, grabbing a five-point lead as Tyler McFarland, a 6-foot-6 center who was held to five points in the first half, started asserting himself.

McFarland scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a year,” said McFarland. “We went out and got it.”

The Windjammers used an overtime loss to Falmouth in last season’s state final — when McFarland fouled out at the end of regulation — as motivation.

“Tyler wasn’t going to foul out in this one,” said Camden Hills Coach Jeff Hart. “We were more persistent going inside in the second half. We talked about doing that at halftime. We did it at the start of the game but went away from it.”

Bowe, the Western Maine Conference’s leading scorer, was a one-man show for Cape.

“Bowe played great,” said Hart. “My hat’s off to him. Tyler McFarland was on him on defense and he’s our best defender. Bowe got tired at the end, but who wouldn’t?”

Camden Hills took an 8-0 lead, but Cape maintained its poise.

“I wasn’t worried,” said Bowe. “I missed a couple of shots I should have made.”

Bowe didn’t miss many. His first two baskets were 3-pointers; he scored 12 of his team’s 14 first-quarter points as the Capers led 14-12.

He finished with five 3-pointers, all in the first half, and scored his team’s opening five points of the second quarter as Cape surged to a 19-12 lead.

The Windjammers bounced back with six straight points as Nathan Catell started the spurt with a 3-pointer.

Cape’s last lead was 40-39 early in the third quarter. The Windjammers started going inside to McFarland and Keegan Pieri, their other 6-6 player. McFarland had 10 points in the third quarter and Pieri, who finished with 21, added six.

Cape’s resolve didn’t waver. The Capers cut it to 54-52 and had a chance to tie or take the lead with the ball in Bowe’s hands. He missed a long shot with 3:30 left. McFarland followed with a three-point play that started a 7-1 run.

A 3-pointer by Cam Brown cut it to 61-56 with a minute left, and two foul shots by Bowe with 39 seconds left made it a four-point game. The Windjammers then pulled away at the foul line.

It was the second time in three seasons that the Windjammers beat Cape in the state final.

“For the kids to play that hard and that long is a credit to them,” said Cape Coach Jim Ray. “We had four players play 32 minutes. The first half the kids reacted so well. Camden Hills’ size and pressure takes so much out of you. Theo laid it all on the line, as did the other players. I think we made our community proud.”

“I was just hitting my shots,” said Bowe. “I honestly didn’t know how many 3-pointers or points I had in the first half. The senior class had to step up. We played with a lot of heart. Cape is always underestimated. They thought we were going to lose by 40 points. We have some great players.”

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at: tchard@pressherald.com

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