More than 48 hours after the final buzzer, Coach Jeannine Paradis’ voice is still hoarse, and she jokingly said that her blood pressure has not yet returned to normal.

Paradis is the head coach of the Biddeford High School Girls’ Basketball team, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few days, you already know that Paradis and her players have been very busy over the last few days.

On Saturday – for the first time ever – the BHS Lady Tigers played in the state championship game, a thrilling and yet heartbreaking display of courage, tenacity and skill.

Trailing the Caribou Vikings for much of the game, the Tigers rallied in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-point deficit and force overtime play, where the Tigers grabbed the lead. But in the end, the Vikings were able to clinch the win with just a one-point difference, 49-48.

Paradis grew up in Biddeford and played field hockey, basketball and ran track at Biddeford High School before graduating in 1994.

She then went on to study rehabilitation services at the University of Maine Farmington. During her senior year in college, she was recognized as being a hard worker and landed a job as the junior varsity boys basketball team at Morse High School.

She has now been the head coach in Biddeford for four seasons.

You were still in school and got a coaching position for a boys’ team with no coaching experience.

“I think it was my professional attitude that got me the job,” Paradis said. “There were several applicants interviewed, but I was the only one who dressed up for the interview.

“Some of the candidates went to the interview wearing jeans with baseball caps turned backward. I think my eagerness and professionalism stood out. I’m a hard worker. It’s a pride thing that was instilled in me when I was young.”

This was the first time that the Lady Tigers every played in a state championship. Were you feeling lots of pressure?

“Coming into the season, there was always a lot of talk about this particular freshmen group. When we look back at the basketball program, we’ve always had a lot of athletes, but never true basketball players.”

“I felt good about how our kids were reacting throughout the whole tournament season, and how they just got better with each game. Going in, I figured we’d be a little nervous, anxious and excited.

— Head Coach Jeannine Paradis

What’s the difference between an athlete and a ‘true basketball player?”

“These kids will pick up a ball. They’ll do the extra. They’ll play travel ball and tournaments and spend hours shooting baskets in their own driveway. Just completely committed to the game of basketball.”

You had a very young team for a state championship game.

“I brought 14 players up to the tournaments. My original roster was 13 girls, but I brought along one standout from our junior varsity team. I had three sophomores, one of whom was injured and could not play and three seniors. The rest were all freshmen.”

What was running through your head on Friday evening, the night before the big game?

“We had practiced hard on Wednesday and Thursday, so I wanted to keep Friday pretty light; working on ball handling, shooting. We talked about our game plan, in terms of what we were going to do when we got on the bus, what we were going to do when we got to the [arena].

“I felt good about how our kids were reacting throughout the whole tournament season, and how they just got better with each game. Going in, I figured we’d be a little nervous, anxious and excited. So, we talked about having all those feelings, and letting them know it was okay to have those feelings, but once the game starts, and that clock starts ticking we all needed to be focused and serious.

“I had a really good feeling waking up that we could compete. I’ve seen our kids compete against some pretty talented players in the SMAA. We had a tough schedule, and they stepped up every single day. If one of our top shooters wasn’t shooting well, somebody else picked up that slack. So, it was really great to see how they would play for each other.”

How long do you think you’re going to replay the final 20 seconds of that game in your head?

(Laughs) “I’ve heard from several of my colleagues and other people that it will take at least a couple of months before I stop analyzing every little detail. It was a learning experience for our players, but it was also a learning experience for me.”

Did you and your team have a sense of how much the larger community was supporting you?

“You know, growing up in Biddeford during the 1990s, you know that this is a football town, and football gets a lot of the attention.

“I wasn’t sure how much support we would have. Our gym wasn’t always full. But unlike other more rural communities that don’t have a center, our community has a core. To see the City Hall clocktower lit up in orange, all the things being shared on Facebook, I think the girls felt the support.

“Even though we lost, they still did something amazing, and the community really had our backs.”

Have you now set the bar of expectation so high that it will be tougher next year?

“I think there’s always a downside, but I’m always up for a challenge, good years or bad years. My commitment to the program and the kids is about a lot more than just winning or losing.

“It’s more about the kids and having them grow and find some success even if the record doesn’t indicate that, if I can do that then I have done my job.”

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