Someone older and someone newer led Manchester Central to a familiar spot – the Class L girls basketball playoff semifinals.

The second-seeded Little Green used 16 first-half points from senior Alicia Doucet and all six team points in overtime from sophomore Christiana Bakolas to escape with a 51-48 win on Sunday, March 2, against seventh-seeded Timberlane at Southern New Hampshire University.

The victory moved CHS to the state semifinals for the second straight year. Doucet connected on three of four three-point attempts, including one that gave the locals a two-point edge heading into halftime. In the process, Doucet reached the 1,000-point plateau.

“She’s worked so hard, and she deserves it,” said her head coach, Mike Wenners. “She’s a remarkable competitor and will do whatever it takes to win.”

Bakolas, who shares starting backcourt duties with classmate Sam Walker of Hooksett, was held in check through three quarters, with three points on one three-pointer.

But she scored six points in the fourth quarter and six more in OT to finish with 15.

Still, it was another senior, Catherine O’Neill, who stopped a 7-0 Timberlane run and forced the extra session when she grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback with four seconds remaining in regulation.

“It helps to have a good senior group,” said Wenners.“All six of our seniors really help keep the team focused and in control.”

Bakolas’ half-dozen overtime markers were all earned at the charity stripe. And as Central prepared its last-second defense, the coaches urged the Little Green cagers watching from the bench to control themselves.

“It’s so emotional, especially an overtime game like this,” said Wenners, whose team was scheduled to face No. 3 seed Londonderry on Wednesday, March 5. “But the reality is, we’re in the quarterfinals.”

Londonderry is one of two teams to defeat 18-win Central in the regular season.

“But we played as individuals that time,” said Walker. “We play better as a team, and we have been (playing that way) for the past two weeks.”

Should the Little Green vanquish the Lancers in the semifinals, top-seeded Winnacunnet, which handed Central its other loss, or No. 4 Merrimack awaits in the finals, set for Friday, March 7, at SNHU. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Bakolas, who shares starting backcourt duties with classmate Sam Walker of Hooksett, was held in check through three quarters, with three points on one three-pointer.

But she scored six points in the fourth quarter and six more in OT to finish with 15.

Still, it was another senior, Catherine O’Neill, who stopped a 7-0 Timberlane run and forced the extra session when she grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback with four seconds remaining in regulation.

“It helps to have a good senior group,” said Wenners.“All six of our seniors really help keep the team focused and in control.”

Bakolas’ half-dozen overtime markers were all earned at the charity stripe. And as Central prepared its last-second defense, the coaches urged the Little Green cagers watching from the bench to control themselves.

“It’s so emotional, especially an overtime game like this,” said Wenners, whose team was scheduled to face No. 3 seed Londonderry on Wednesday, March 5. “But the reality is, we’re in the quarterfinals.”

Londonderry is one of two teams to defeat 18-win Central in the regular season.

“But we played as individuals that time,” said Walker. “We play better as a team, and we have been (playing that way) for the past two weeks.”

Should the Little Green vanquish the Lancers in the semifinals, top-seeded Winnacunnet, which handed Central its other loss, or No. 4 Merrimack awaits in the finals, set for Friday, March 7, at SNHU. Tipoff is 7 p.m.