The Fairview girls basketball team faced the toughest test of its perfect season so far Saturday in the Eastern C divisional title game, but the Warriors passed with flying colors. Fairview showed the ability to overcome adversity in a 61-56 overtime victory over a solid Saco-Whitewater squad.

“I was really happy with how the girls stuck together Saturday night We could have fallen apart, but the girls kept their composure and were able to pull out the win,” second-year head coach Mark Thompson said. “It was definitely a confidence booster.”

Now the Warriors are preparing for the state tournament in Great Falls starting Thursday. Fairview opens up the tournament against Drummond at 8 p.m. Thursday. “I know they have a couple of very strong, physical post players and a couple of nice shooters. They aren’t going to look to penetrate too much, they are more of a spot-up shooting team,” Thompson said.

The field looks to be pretty balanced. “I expect tough, competitive games,” he said. “We’re going to need to be able to win close games like we did Saturday..”

Thompson looks for his team to come out with a similar intensity as they did at divisionals. “It’s going to be very important to see if we come out with energy,” he said. “We have to come out strong and set the tempo right way.”

Defense has been key all season long for the Warriors and that will be no different.

“Our offense is a strength, but it has always been about our defense, and I’m really happy where our defensive intensity is at,” he said.

Defense will be a huge factor at state, Thompson said.

“This is a year that defense is going to make the difference when you have such talented teams,” he said.

While the team is extremely excited about competing in the state tournament, the Warriors are not satisfied.

“We need to be able to control our emotion,” Thompson said. “It’s great to be at state, but since we’re going to be there why not try and take it all.”