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BANGOR — Saturday marked the first full day of tournament action at the Cross Insurance Center, and the matchups in the Queen City did not disappoint.

From rivalry games to young teams on the big stage to a resurgent performer, there were plenty of storylines in Bangor. Here are four takeaways. 

TOP RIVALRIES TAKE CENTER STAGE

Rivalry games at tournament time create some of the best atmospheres. On Saturday, fans in Bangor for the evening session got treated to two of the state’s best rivalries: Cony-Gardiner (girls) and Ellsworth-Mount Desert Island (boys).

One of the biggest rivalries in eastern Maine, Ellsworth-MDI opened the late session. Ellsworth, which won 47-42, beat the Trojans for the second consecutive game after coming back from 14 down in the second half to win 71-69 in the regular-season finale on Feb. 4.

“Our guys just get fired up for this game,” said Ellsworth coach Matt Mattson. “I’m a (George Stevens Academy) guy, but our assistant coaches have really taught me about what this game means. It’s a great rivalry between two great teams.”

Gardiner, meanwhile, beat Cony for the third time this season. Although the Tigers led for most of the game, Cony kept it close and hung with its rival until the end — exactly what Gardiner coach Britney Gero anticipated.

“You could have one team 0-18 and the other 18-0, and it would still be a battle,” Gero said. “It’s just something about the deep rivalry we have with each other; both teams really come to play.”

GARDINER WINS BATTLE OF YOUTH

Fans at the Cross Insurance Center can expect to see a lot of the Cony and Gardiner girls over the next few years. Both teams had just one senior who played significant minutes this season.

No. 1 Gardiner (18-1) showcased its depth and versatility. No one scored in double figures for the Tigers, who were led by sophomore Madison McMahon and junior Zoey Sullivan-Brennan with nine points each. Sophomore Molly Takatsu added eight points and 10 rebounds.

“We have four returners, but the rest of us are still young — I’m still a rookie,” McMahon said. “Even though we’re young, we’ve built a really good culture. We do a lot of things outside of basketball to become a family, and that’s really helped us.”

Cony (11-9) showcased its own young standouts. Kya Douin led all scorers with 20 points, and fellow sophomore Gabby Vachon added nine points and nine rebounds for a team that built a foundation for the future under first-year coach Alex Bessey.

“I didn’t have the summer with them, so Day 1 tryouts was the first time for me with them and the first for them with me,” Bessey said. “They’re young, and they’re hungry. There’s no ceiling for them; they’ll come back ready next year.”

PARKER MORIN RETAKES THE SPOTLIGHT

The emergence of Carter Brathwaite and Jackson Kay has been the story of the season for the Cony boys. That’s changed things for Parker Morin, who hasn’t been the focal point for the Rams.

Rest assured, though, that Morin is still a force. He’s a Mr. Basketball candidate, after all, and on Saturday he was the best player on the floor, scoring 21 points as the No. 1 Rams (17-2) defeated Presque Isle, 63-51.

“He’s taken a new role, and he’s accepted and embraced it and is able to thrive in the moments that he can,” said Cony coach Isaiah Brathwaite. “He hustles his butt off and always gets to the right spots on the floor. He made some exciting plays for us.”

Morin put Cony up early by scoring the game’s first two baskets. That spearheaded a performance in which he threw down two dunks that brought the Cony faithful to their feet and even drew some oohs and ahs from Presque Isle fans.

“It’s awesome (dunking on the big stage); it got the crowd into it and got the bench into it,” Morin said. “I was feeding off the crowd’s energy, and I know I have my teammates behind me. It’s a great feeling.”

ELITE DEFENSE POWERS ELLSWORTH

After it took a furious rally for Ellsworth to beat MDI the last time they played, the Eagles never trailed Saturday. That was all thanks to their defense, which held a team that ranked seventh in the state in scoring at 71.7 points per game to its lowest output of the season.

Ellsworth (15-4) forced MDI into 18 turnovers, 13 in the first half. The Eagles also held the Trojans to just 12 of 36 (33.3 percent) from the field and allowed only one basket in the fourth quarter. MDI junior James Witham, one of the state’s premier scorers, had just two field goals.

Cony, then must do what MDI (15-4) couldn’t when the Rams meet the Eagles: break down an Ellsworth defense that was stellar Saturday. If anyone can, it’s the state’s No. 1-scoring offense (77.9 points per game).

“It’s going to take ‘We’ basketball,” said Cony’s Morin. “We’re going to have to move the ball around, take care of the ball and make sure we get great shots.”