Bishop Guertn's Liv Murray looks to put up a shot despite the presence of Londonderry's Kylee McGurn behind her during the Cards' 55-24 Division I semifinal win in Kingston Thursday night. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

KINGSTON – Bishop Guertin vs. Bedford for the Division I title.

Was there any doubt in girls basketball circles it would happen?

With high school players, you can never tell, but it certainly felt like the Cardinals’ 54-25 win over Londondonderry in the Division I semifinals Thursday night at Sanborn Regional was a mere formality, despite a few hiccups offensively.

“It was hard the whole game,” Guertin coach Brad Kreick said. “It was just one of those grinding games. I don’t know how many we had or how many they had, whatever. It just felt like it was hard.

“But it’s supposed to be hard. It’s a state semifinal, that’s the point. It’s supposed to be hard.”

It will be even harder in Sunday’s final here, time TBA. Last night, even though the 18-0 Cards were never really threatened, the first half especially seemed a bit sluggish. The big floor could have hampered their press a bit, but they jumped out to leads of 7-0, 12-2 and never looked back. It was 25-9 at the half, and 42-19 at the end of three.

Olivia Murray led all scorers with 18 points, hit a couple of early 3 pointers, and set the tone. BG’s offense got more fluid in the third quarter as well as point guard Brooke Paquette, in foul trouble in the first half, took charge and finished with eight points and four assists.

“She’s a tough kid,” Kreick said of Paquette. “She’s a great competitor. She got in a little bit of foul trouble in the first half, didn’t play the second quarter, and I think we felt that, we got a little bit out of our rhythm without her on the floor.

“She’ll be fine on Sunday, she’ll do a good job.”

Meanwhile, Murray, whose clutch foul shooting down the stretch helped the Cards beat Bedford during two months ago, has been on her game offensively throughout the tournament.

“I’ve just been focusing a lot in practice,” she said, “and making sure that translates into the game. Just taking the shots that are open.”

“She’s been great,” Kreick said. “She scored the ball for us really well today, I thought she played with pretty good poise. I’m obviously happy with how she’s playing right now.”

Guertin also got 11 points from Catelyn Wheeler, who fueled that third quarter offense with seven points. Meghan Stack added nine, while the Lancers were led by Shannon Ball and Olivia Chau with seven points each.

Meanwhile, there could have been a little case of nerves that cut BG’s offense down a bit, too, being this is a sophomore-centered team. But defense is what this team focuses on, and Kreick certainly had no complaints.

“I don’t think they scored 30, right?” Kreick said. “We held them under 30, so I don’t think it’s a surprise that games like this are hard. They’re rarely works of art offensively.

“So if we can rely on just being sound defensively, getting stops, possession in and possession out, that’s the kind of stuff that will allow you to be a little bit sloppy or a bit off your game offensively, and still allow you to win games.”

And calm your nerves. Kreick saw plenty of them last night.

“Early,” he said. “Not so much defensively, but offensively we just didn’t execute real well. Having a game under our belt is going to do us a world of good.”

Before this one, the Bulldogs kept up their end of the bargain with a 66-43 pasting of Portsmouth in the earlier semi.

“It’s funny how things work out,” Kreick said. “I do think it’s down to the two best teams, and it’s going to be a great game on Sunday.”

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