CLASS D GIRLS
WHO: Valley (21-0) vs. Central Aroostook (19-2)
WHEN: 1:05 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN
KEY PLAYERS: Valley — Madeline Hill, sr., G (17 points per game, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals); Kirsten Bigelow, jr., G (15 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 5 steals); Liana Hartwell, fr., G (13 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds, 5 steals); Rylee Clark, jr., F (9 points, 2 assists, 9 rebounds); Brianna Mills, so., F (8 points, 2 assists, 10 rebounds); Delia Hill, fr., G (7 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds); Daisy Wright, so., F (3 points, 5 rebounds); Myranda Beane, fr., G (3 points, 4 rebounds); Central Aroostook — Lilly Burt, so. (17 points); Harleigh Allen, jr. (17 points); Maggie Mahan, jr. (10 points).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: One of these teams will walk off the court with its first Class D championship. Valley fell 60-42 to Southern Aroostook in last year’s state final. This is the fifth trip to a state final for the Cavaliers. Central Aroostook is in its third Class D final, and its first since 1993. … Though Valley has just one senior, it’s as experienced a group as any in the Class D tournament. What immediately jumps out about the Cavaliers is their offense. They averaged 74 points per game, and only once did they score less than 60 points. Madeline Hill, Bigelow and Hartwell have been Valley’s top scorers, but each of the starting five had multiple 10-plus point games this season. … Hartwell has been a do-it-all player for the Cavaliers, leading the team several times in points, assists and steals. … Clark and Mills are the top rebounders for Valley, each grabbing 10-plus rebounds in multiple games. … Central Aroostook has no seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and six eighth-graders. The Panthers won their regional semifinal and final by a combined four points. … Burt and Allen have consistently been Central Aroostook’s top scorers, while Mahan serves as a solid third option. Coach Cody Tompkins has also been impressed with the progress of sophomores Charlie Pierce and Stevi Pierce, who, he said, “do the little things that don’t get recognized, such as rebounding, going for loose balls, defending team’s best players. They’re complete basketball players and continue to get better.”
— Dave Dyer
CLASS D BOYS
WHO: Schenck (20-1) vs. St. Dominic (20-1)
WHEN: 2:45 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN
KEY PLAYERS: Schenck — Owen Wyman, sr., F (15.5 points per game, 10.2 rebounds, 2.8 steals); Brayden Osborne, jr., G (11.4 points, 5.2 assists, 3.1 steals), Sam Jacobs, sr., G/F (10.4 points); Gavin Gagnon, sr., F (7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists), Cameron Atkinson, sr., G (4.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals). St. Dominic — Taylor Varney, sr., G (14 points, 8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3 steals); Jack Brocke, sr., F (10 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 blocks); Donel Tangilamesu, so., F (6.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals); Jonathan Tangilamesu, sr., F (8.4 points, 6 rebounds); Isaac Yombe, sr., G (8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 steals); Mason LaFlamme, sr., F (6 points, 3.4 rebounds); Ayden Rand, sr., G (2.5 points, 1.2 assists); Gad Tangilamesu, fr., F (2.7 points, 2.9 rebounds).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Schenck is pursuing its second state title, and St. Dominic is looking to earn its first. The Wolverines’ only state championship came in 2010 when they beat Richmond. In 2019, Schenck was the state runner-up. Both teams lost in regional finals last season. … St. Dom’s earned the program’s first regional title with a 59-28 win over previously undefeated Valley. … The Wolverines have lost only two games in the last two seasons combined. Wyman leads the team in scoring and averages a double-double. According to Schenck coach Aaron Hutchins, “All players are healthy and ready to go.”… Schenck relies on defense and limiting turnovers, while the strength for St. Dom’s is scoring in transition. The Saints are 30-3 over the last two seasons. They have a strong offense led by Varney, Jonathan Tangilamesu and Brocke. On defense, Brocke has blocked 67 shots and Yombe is an all-conference defender. … Schenck will need to limit the Saints on the offensive glass and use its pressure defense to get off to a start fast. … Transition scoring will be key for both teams.
— Haley Jones
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