The semifinalists for Mr. and Miss Basketball were announced Wednesday by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches.
The 10 girls’ semifinalists are Keila Grigware, Biddeford; Rebecca Knight, McAuley; Hannah Pray, Central; Kayla Burchill, Deering; Mia Rapolla, Gorham; Courtney Anderson, Leavitt; Megan Phelps, Mt. Desert Island; Maggie Sabine, Oak Hill; Whitney Jones, Skowhegan; and Nicole Taylor, York.
The 10 boys’ semifinalists are Zach Blodgett, Bangor; Tyler McFarland, Camden Hills; Theo Bowe, Cape Elizabeth; Griffin Brady, Cheverus; Bo Leary, Edward Little; Graham Safford, Hampden Academy; Cam Kaubris, Mountain Valley; Joey McCloskey, Penobscot Valley; Andrew Shaw, Thornton Academy; and Alex Furness, Wells.
The finalists — three boys and three girls — will be announced after the state tournaments. The winners of Mr. and Miss Basketball will be announced at the Maine McDonald’s High School Senior All-Star Banquet on Friday, March 11, at Husson University in Bangor.
The McDonald’s high school all-star games will be held March 12 at Husson.
BONNY EAGLE freshman Dustin Cole continues to impress. In his first time playing at the Civic Center, Cole displayed the moves that have given him a strong following. Cole scored last-second baskets to close the first and third quarters Wednesday and finished with 16 points in a 43-34 win over Deering.
At the end of the third quarter, the Scots held for the last shot, and naturally the ball was in Cole’s hands. Cole hit a jumper and his defender Pat Green just shrugged. Green played tight defense, but there was nothing he could do against the mercurial Cole.
JAMIE ROSS of Deering had a strong rebounding game and some timely baskets against Bonny Eagle in the semifinals Wednesday night.
The highlight was a dunk after stealing the ball at midcourt with just under a minute and a half remaining.
Ross scored eight points in the first half. His dunk gave him 12 points.
It took Ross at least half the season to find his basketball form after a long football season during which the Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist led Deering to the Western Class A title game.
His rebounding and scoring proved key in a quarterfinal win over Thornton Academy.
Ross, a quarterback, is headed to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., on a football scholarship.
THE MESSALONSKEE girls continued their wild ride through the Eastern Class A tournament with a 48-44 semifinal victory against Cony.
The No. 8 Eagles (11-9) made history last week when they knocked off No. 1 Morse, 53-43. Messalonskee became the first eighth seed to eliminate a No. 1 in Eastern Class A girls’ tournament history.
Equally impressive, the Eagles persevered through second-half rallies in both games.
They led by as many as 16 in the second half before Cony rallied and tied the game 38-38 in the fourth quarter.
But Messalonskee then responded and put the game away late.
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