Bangor, Me--- The Class B, C and D tournament begins Friday night at the Bangor Auditorium. As always you will see great games, great individual performances and a electric atmosphere. Here are some other things to look for in the great week ahead.
Everyone would be shocked if anyone other than Presque Isle and Nokomis were playing for the Eastern Maine class B girls championship at 2 PM on February 25th. Camden Hills could give Nokomis a close game if they end up meeting in a semi-final game. The Warriors defeated Camden Hills 62-51 in the regular season.
Presque Isle will face John Bapst in a quarterfinal game on Saturday. If they get by that match-up they will go up against the Gardiner/MDI winner in the semi-finals. Gardiner has proving that they can play with the top teams in class B. They played close games with both Nokomis and Western Maine power, Leavitt.
The quarterfinal game to watch in class B girls will be the 4/5 match-up between Gardiner and MDI. That game is schedule for 1:30 PM on Saturday, February 18th. Presque/Isle and Gardiner could be an interesting semi-final game while a Nokomis and Presque Isle final is what everyone is looking forward to.
The Class B boys tip off on Friday night with the third seeded Gardiner Tigers facing the sixth seeded Nokomis Warriors. MDI comes in as the favorite with a 18-0 record. The reward if a quarterfinal matchup with defending state champion Camden Hills.
The Class C girls tourney could be the most wide open. Orono comes in as the top seed. They will have their hands full in a quarterfinal game against Houlton on Tuesday, February 21st @ 330 PM.
Stearns is very dangerous. They have the best player in the class C girls tourney and maybe in the entire tournament in Sigi Koizar. Stearns has a balanced overall team and will be a tough match-up for any team.. The Minutemen have a tough semi-final game against Mattanawcook. If they can get by the Lynx, it could set up a semi-final showdown with Orono.
The most interesting quarterfinal game could be between third ranked Central and sixth seeded Bucksport. The two teams split during the regular season. Bucksport won a 37-35 game at Central late in the season. That helped the Bucks earn the sixth seed.
All this talk about balance in class C girls and the only undefeated team has not even been mentioned yet. Calais comes in at 16-0 and will look to go deep into the tourney after falling in the quarterfinals as a top seed last year.
Lee and Sumner come in at 16-2 and the top two seeds for class C boys. Penquis also comes in at 16-2. With the dynamic sophomore duo of Isaiah Bess and Trevor Lyford, the Patriots will be a tough matchup for anyone. They defeated Lee late in the season to earn the number four seed.
Calais comes into the tourney at 14-2 and will face Mattanawcook in a interesting quarterfinal game. The class C boys semi-final games on Friday, February 24th will be must see at the Bangor Auditorium.
A lower seed (either seven or 15) will be making the class D girls semi-finals. The reason that is a guarantee is because Southern Aroostook upset Fort Fairfield in a prelim game. That sets up a quarterfinal matchup of number 15 Southern Aroostok against number seven Hodgdon.
Washburn comes in as the number one seed. If Van Buren can get by Shead in the quarterfinals, it will set up a must see semi-final game betwen the Crusaders and Washburn.
Parise Rossignol of Van Buren is the player to watch in class D. She scored her 1000 career point this season, faster than anyone in the history of Maine high school basketball. Central Aroostook and Woodland will be a interesting quarterfinal game.
Jonesport-Beals, Central Aroostook and Washburn are the powerhouse teams in class D boys. Garet Beal of Jonesport-Beals, Mitch Worcester of Washburn and Jordan McLaughlin of Washburn will provide offensive explosion that is rarely seen.
Comments