Previews:

[Tom Nolette]

Agile Gray-New Gloucester hopes for encore, region up for grabs

...“We’re not too experienced and yet we’re probably as experienced as anybody, just because we’ve made two deep runs back-to-back years,” Andreasen said, “and those kids have at least experienced it from the pen, so to speak.”

As a freshman and sophomore, Bri Jordan (10 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg) was a starter for the teams that made consecutive runs to the Class B state championship, and last year she was named the B South region MVP. She is now a junior and the veteran of a team that has no seniors.

Jordan Grant (5.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg) was Gray-NG’s first player off the bench last year and had moments of brilliance, some in big games.

Those two will be leaned on heavily as the new rotation players get up to varsity speed.

http://www.sunjournal.com/class-b-girls ... for-grabs/

[Tom Nolette]

Mt. Abram Roadrunners 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

...Donald expects his rotation, at least at the start of the season, to be eight players deep. Highlighting that group are point guard Lindsay Huff, shooting guard Summer Ross and post Meg Sorel.

Donald said those three were Mt. Abram’s most consistent scorers last year, but they also had a tendency to pick up fouls.

“But that kind of goes hand in hand: your more aggressive players, obviously, get more fouls,” Donald said. “So they play hard, they play aggressive, so they’re going to get fouls. They just gotta (not) get stupid fouls.”

Also returning are Ashlyn Sorel, who will play the four, and Chenoa Savage. The young players have been impressive at times during the preseason, and Donald said that as many as three freshmen will also have the opportunity to fight for a spot in the rotatio

http://www.sunjournal.com/mt-abram-road ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Oxford Hills Vikings 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

...Underclassmen such as sophomore point guard Julia Colby (11.4 ppg) and junior post Jadah Adams (10.8 ppg, 7 rpg stepped into major roles as Oxford Hills reached its third state title game in the past 10 years.

Also back is junior Maighread Laliberte (9.4 ppg), a versatile forward who was a mainstay in last season’s starting lineup, and sophomore Cecelia Dieterich saw a lot of action despite playing behind the graduated Erin Morton last year.

The roles around those four will be filled by varsity newcomers.

We definitely have the talent to be really good, but we’re just sort of in that phase right now where some kids are learning to play varsity,” coach Nate Pelletier said.

http://www.sunjournal.com/oxford-hills- ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Hebron Lumberjacks 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

For the second year in a row, the Lumberjacks won 12 games and claimed the MAISAD title. But, also for the second year in a row, their season ended one game shy of Augusta.

Leading scorers Franceska Halloran and Maddy New are back. Halloran, especially, was prolific, surpassing 20 points on a handful of occasions last year.

Griggs will be looking for further improvement from Eliza Quinones and Reily New. Allyson Walsh, who stands 6-foot-2 and guard Emily McCarthy are exciting additions to the team

http://www.sunjournal.com/hebron-lumber ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Lewiston Blue Devils 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

hey have proven talent — such as Class AA North first-teamer Victoria Harris — and experience — three of the five starters return, and several others saw significant action off the bench last season. For example, sophomores Maddy Foster and Cece Racine will take on larger roles this season.

“With our strong senior leadership, seasoned sophomores and freshmen who have played a lot of basketball, we have a lot of talent and hardworking young ladies,” fourth-year coach Lynn Girouard said.

The Blue Devils have height by way of Harris and fellow senior Gabrielle Wilson, and there’s also several ball-handlers.

http://www.sunjournal.com/lewiston-blue ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Buckfield Bucks 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

... Junior Hannah Shields and Katy Henderson are among the top returners from a team that went 3-15. Wilkins is also excited about the preseason play of Siana Jacobs.

Buckfield is going through a tough rebuild as a small Class C school, but has shown improvement, having won 15 games in Wilkins’ three years after winning 15 in the previous five.

Wilkins hopes that the team will improve and enjoy playing so that maybe, eventually, the numbers game will turn in their favor.

“So you try to keep it a little loose, try to keep it fun, but at the same time try to set goals that are somewhat attainable so they want to stick with it,” Wilkins said.

http://www.sunjournal.com/buckfield-buc ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Dirigo Cougars 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

...The Cougars likely won’t have a primary scorer, so everyone will need to pitch in.

“It isn’t going to be one or two people,” Fletcher said. “It really has to be five of us, because we don’t really have a scorer. It really does need to be by committee, everything that we do.”

Varnum, a frontcourt starter the past few years, has been a consistent scorer, and she also pulled down 7.1 rebounds per game.

Fletcher also sees potential in sophomore Alyssa McTyre in the important role of point guard.

http://www.sunjournal.com/dirigo-cougar ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Oak Hill Raiders 2017-18 girls basketball preview

...Sophomore Desirae Dumais is back at point guard after leading the team with 10.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game and made the Mountain Valley Conference’s second team as a freshman last year.

Forward Abby Nadeau also played a big role in 2016-17 as a sophomore, and it will be even bigger this season, particularly in a leadership sense.

“They’re the two kids that played a lot of varsity minutes last year,” Labonte said.

http://www.sunjournal.com/oak-hill-raid ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

St. Dominic Academy Saints 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

...Senior Caroline Gastonguay, an all-WMC second-team honoree, was St. Dom’s top scorer last year, averaging about 12 points per game. Marston said she could be even more prolific this season.

“She’s got more scoring threats around her than she did last year,” Marston said. “Her having a little bit more of a supporting cast, it’s going to … open things up for her even more.”

Joining Gastonguay back this year are fellow seniors Rileigh Stebbins, who is the Saints’ defensive stopper, and Maddie Leslie, and juniors Abby Castonguay and Dominique Michaud. There’s also three sophomores who saw significant playing last year: Rebecca Zimmerman, Mia-Angelina Leslie and Skye Rogers. Marston also is expecting contributions from freshman Hannah Kenney.

http://www.sunjournal.com/st-dominic-ac ... l-preview/

[Tom Nolette]

Spruce Mountain Phoenix 2017-18 girls' basketball preview

...Turcotte already has two years of significant varsity experience and was a second-team all-KVAC honoree last year. Keene said she made further strides to become more than just a shooter.

“She’s more well-rounded offensively,” Keene said. “She’s one of the ones that’s really going to have to step up from last year.”

St. Pierre, a versatile, athletic player, missed a large majority of last season with a hand injury.

“She’s healthy now, and she’s going to be huge for us,” Keene said.

Senior Morgan Dalton and sophomore Jaycee Cole will be the primary ball handlers.

http://www.sunjournal.com/spruce-mounta ... l-preview/