CLASS B GIRLS

WHO: Old Town (19-2) vs. Oceanside (21-0)
WHEN: 6:05 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN

KEY PLAYERS: Old Town – Saige Evans, sr., F (18.2 points, 12.6 rebounds); Alexis Degrasse, sr., G (6.2 points, 1.1 steals); Makayla Emerson, sr., G (7.2 points, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals); Liz Magoon, jr., G (2.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals). Oceanside – Bailey Breen, jr., C (30.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 65% field goal), Aubrianna Hoose, jr., G (14.4 points, 5.5 assists, 3.3 steals), Sophie Daggett, sr., F (6.4 points, 8.6 rebounds), Renee Ripley, so., G (9.6 points, 38 3-pointers).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Both of these teams have enjoyed successful runs in recent years. Oceanside is pursuing its second championship in three years, while Old Town is in the final after falling in the previous two North title games. … The Mariners throw a formidable combination of height at opponents. With the 6-3 Breen and 6-0 Daggett, Oceanside has a tandem that can protect the basket, influence shots and dominate the rebounding battle. They’re also a big part of the offense, as Oceanside thrives with a high-low game, with Daggett on the elbow feeding Breen on the block. … Ripley (five 3s over the last two games) can’t be left open, and Hoose is fearless while driving to the basket. An X-factor is Breen’s shot, as she also leads the team with 60 3-pointers. If that’s falling, it could be a long night for the Coyotes. … Old Town has a dominant player of its own in Evans, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds in the regional final against Ellsworth. At 5-9, she doesn’t have Breen’s or Daggett’s height, but she knows how to gain leverage and positioning under the basket. … Old Town has had to make do without second-leading scorer Taylor Loring (11.8 points) because of a knee injury, and she’ll miss Friday’s game as well. Degrasse has stepped up as the secondary scorer, and she had 17 points and seven assists against Ellsworth.

– Drew Bonifant

CLASS B BOYS

WHO: Orono (18-3) vs. Oceanside (21-0)
WHEN: 7:45 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN

KEY PLAYERS: Orono – Pierce Walston, sr., G (16.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists); Ben Francis, sr., G (14.2 points, 3.2 rebounds); Bergen Soderberg, so., G (8.5 points, 49 3-pointers); Will Francis, jr., F (7.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists). Oceanside – Carter Galley, sr., G (28.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.7 steals); Cohen Galley, sr., G (22.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.5 steals); Zeb Foster, jr., G (12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists); Trevin Ripley, fr., C (5.9 points, 6.1 rebounds).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The key players all return from last year’s championship game, won by Orono, 61-58, at the Portland Expo. Walston and Carter Galley are Mr. Maine Basketball finalists. In their respective regional finals, Walston had 29 points against Old Town, while Galley scored 35 against Lincoln Academy. Cohen Galley, a Mr. Maine semifinalist, is also a force who focuses his scoring on drives to the basket and is an exceptional rebounder. He scored 37 in the quarterfinals against Mountain Valley. The Galleys totaled 67 points each in three regional wins. … In last year’s championship game, Orono exploited Oceanside’s transition defense for easy buckets and led nearly the entire game. The Red Riots also played with the lead throughout this year’s North regional, including in a semifinal win against No. 1 Ellsworth, when they made 25 free throws – 17 in the fourth quarter. … Another edge Orono had a year ago was that Walston and both Francis brothers scored in double figures, while Oceanside didn’t have a productive third scorer after the Galleys. Foster, Zach Woodman (7.7 points per game) and improving 6-foot-6 freshman center Ripley will need to generate some buckets this year. … While the Mariners are still known for their prolific offense, they have shown an increased tenacity on the defensive end. … For Orono, Soderberg has made eight 3-pointers during the tournament, but Ben Francis, who made 33 treys in the regular season, has not scored from deep.

– Steve Craig

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