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There’s three weeks until we’re all together again in Bangor, Augusta and Portland — but first, there’s the last third of the Maine boys basketball regular season to sort out.
Seedings and playoff spots will be decided in the coming weeks as teams look to position themselves for tourney time. Here’s a look at the five biggest storylines in boys basketball this week.
WHO WILL WIN MR. MAINE BASKETBALL?
The Fitzpatrick Trophy, given to the state’s top senior football player, was awarded to Thornton Academy’s Connor Ayoob on Sunday. The basketball equivalent will be awarded in early March — and there’s a clear front runner.
Nolan Ames of Camden Hills entered the season as the overwhelming Mr. Maine Basketball favorite, and so far hasn’t lost his grip on that status. At 26.4 points per game, Ames leads Class A in scoring. He’s also averaging 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the unbeaten Windjammers (12-0).
Two other players seen as potential finalists entering the season, Edward Little’s Akol Maiwen and Windham’s Tyrie James, also have not disappointed. Maiwen is averaging 23.7 points and 9.2 rebounds for Edward Little (9-4), while James is putting up 19.4 points per game for the Eagles (12-1).
Other possible finalists include York’s Reese MacDonald, Windham’s AJ Moody, Scarborough’s Adam Fitzgerald, Sanford’s Dylan Gendron, South Portland’s Darius Johnson and Medomak Valley’s Mason Nguyen.
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES
Even if seedings are far from decided, most teams know (or at least have a general idea) whether or not they’ll be playing tournament basketball in February. A few teams, though, are truly on the fence or have their backs against the wall.

Since failing to qualify for the Western Class B playoffs in 1991, Greely has appeared in 33 consecutive regional tournaments. Yet at 4-9, the 11th-place Rangers are below the line in Class B South, with Maine Basketball Rankings giving them roughly 1-in-6 odds (17.0 percent) to qualify.
Winslow, meanwhile, is fighting for its 17th consecutive postseason berth. The Black Raiders (39.4 percent), also 4-9, have work to do as they battle Wells (4-8, 42.7 percent), currently occupying the final Class C South spot in 10th.
In C North, Maine Central Institute (4-10) occupies the 10th and final spot. But 11th-place Bucksport (3-10, 28.6 percent), 12th-place Dexter (4-8, 57.5 percent) and 13th-place Central (3-9, 33.1) have better tourney odds than the Huskies (17.7), according to MBR.
BIG WEEK FOR CAMDEN HILLS, CONY
Along with Class D North-leading Machias (12-0), Camden Hills is one of two undefeated boys teams remaining in the state. If Ames and the Windjammers are still unbeaten at this time next week, they will have very much earned it.
After defeating Hampden Academy 57-47 on Monday, the Windjammers host Class A North rival Brunswick (11-2), the region’s No. 2 team, in one of the biggest games of the season Friday. The Windjammers will be back at home the following night to host Cony (10-2), a B North contender led by star freshman Carter Brathwaite.
Camden Hills, Brunswick and Cony are all ranked in the latest Varsity Maine poll. Camden Hills is No. 1, Brunswick is sixth and Cony is ninth.
That matchup in Rockport is also one of two major showdowns for the Rams this week. On Thursday, Cony will be at home against the No. 7 team the Varsity Maine poll, arch-rival Gardiner (11-1), which defeated the Rams in a 97-90 thriller Dec. 27 at the Augusta Civic Center to hand them their first loss of the season.

A TITANIC A SOUTH CLASH
The aforementioned clashes have significant competition for the title of biggest game this week. That nod might go to an A South showdown between South Portland and Windham, who will do battle Friday night at South Portland.
South Portland, the No. 3 team in A South at 11-2 and the No. 4 team in the Varsity Maine poll, has been impressive as of late. The Red Riots have won four straight games, including a 48-44 victory over Thornton Academy on Jan. 6 and a 71-69 win at Sanford on Jan. 13, the Spartans’ first loss of the season.
Top-ranked Windham, though, is stating its case as Maine’s best team as it rides an 11-game winning streak into Friday’s matchup. The Eagles, No. 2 in the Varsity Maine poll, also know what it takes to beat South Portland, having defeated the Red Riots 66-53 on Jan. 2.
ERSKINE’S DUNKING SENSATION
Dunking has been an oft-discussed subject in Maine high school basketball lately. If such jams aren’t your cup of tea, avert your eyes from the final item on this list.
Erskine Academy’s Gavin Fanjoy threw down six dunks in the Eagles’ 76-29 victory over MCI on Thursday. It was part of a 34-point performance for the Erskine junior, who has also recorded dunks against Nokomis, Waterville and Winslow this season.
“He’s a pretty athletic kid, so it doesn’t take much for him to get up there when he has a chance,” said second-year Erskine coach Mitch Donar. “If he gets a breakaway, it’s never really a surprise. He’s a great player, and we’re pretty fortunate to have that.”
Fanjoy is averaging 19.9 points per game for Erskine, which at 10-2 has clinched its first winning season since 2007-08. The Eagles are in seventh place in Class B North.
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