About 90 minutes before the tip-off of their state championship game, the girls of Lake Region wandered onto the basketball court of the Bangor Auditorium. Except for a few facility staff people and one reporter, the arena was empty.
On either side of the floor the stands rose steeply. The players looked around, no doubt imagining what the place would look like in a short while when fans supporting both teams crowded in to watch the battle that was about to take place.
It’s likely that some of the Lakers were a bit nervous, but they all seemed in good spirits and they talked and laughed. Then a couple of the players got down on the floor at center court, and the rest joined them.
Soon the girls were in a tight circle, huddling in the prone position. Lake Region coach Paul True came in and eventually joined the group on the floor. It was a memorable team-bonding moment.
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One of the most endearing features of the Lakers playoff run was their large and vocal fan contingent, and the players certainly appreciated the support.
“You look at the crowd and you see this sea of gold,” said sophomore guard Renee Nicholas. “It gets your heart pumping and your eyes watering. It’s the best feeling ever.”
No segment of those supporters was louder or more enthusiastic than the young girls who showed up to every postseason game to cheer Lake Region on. There were dozens and dozens of little grade-school-aged female fans in their bright yellow team T-shirts – even three hours away in Bangor – and their ponytails bounced as they screamed for their hard-court heroes.
Before the state final several of the Lakers went into the crowd to say hello to family members and friends. The legions of young fans called out the players’ names and reached out to touch them.
This year’s playoff run may have spurred interest in Lake Region girls hoop that will keep the program strong for years to come.
Then there is the other benefit: In the hallway leading out of the auditorium, a number of fans waited to greet the team as they emerged from the locker room after the game. The players were disappointed, but hugs from little fans quickly turned most of the sad faces into smiles.
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At the Lakers final practice, the evening before the game, the girls worked on pressing and breaking the press, among other things. Coach Paul True led the squad through a 90-minute workout that included a specific discussion of the style of play of several of Presque Isle’s better players.
One item that worried the coach was the three-point shooting of Wildcats guard Kylan Smith. True made his team aware that they couldn’t leave Smith open. She did hit one three, early in the second quarter, but that shot seemed to remind Lake Region to keep an eye on her and she didn’t sink any more.
Asked after practice if they’d have trouble sleeping, the seniors on the team – Samantha Allen, Kate Callahan and Shannon Morton – indicated that getting a good night’s rest wouldn’t be a problem.
“Coach is nervous, though,” said Allen. “We can tell.”
True said that he hadn’t slept well in two weeks, and his red-rimmed eyes seemed to confirm that. But his fatigue didn’t affect the coach’s singing voice, as he led the team in a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You,” in honor of Allen’s turning 18 that day.
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