All-stars show skills, provide thrills in McDonald’s senior games
BANGOR — The pressure of playing for state championship hardware has come and gone, and Saturday, March 11 was a time for the best senior schoolgirl basketball players in the state to have some fun.
There was plenty of it to be had inside Husson University’s Newman Gymnasium, with 40 of the state’s top players gathering for the 2017 Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star basketball games.
In typical all-star fashion, both girls games produced exceptional offensive flow and outstanding shooting displays, as the Classes AA-A-B South All-Stars defeated their North counterparts 93-79 while the Classes C-D contest was also won by the South, 76-70.
Even though these games are loose and fun, the competitive spirit remains, and that held true in the C-D contest, the last of the four games.
The South stars trailed by 13 at halftime but rallied to take the lead behind the shooting of Forest Hills of Jackman’s Caitlin Logston, who registered a game-high 20 points.
“We had a lot of fun, there were smiles from both teams,” said Logston. “We both worked hard and had fun.”
A perimeter shot off the glass by Logston with 2:20 left in regulation tied it at 67 and on the South’s next possession, Logston found Annika Brooks of the Waynflete School of Portland for a backdoor layup, and the South never trailed again.
George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill’s Morgan Dauk was the North’s high scorer with 15 points while Stearns of Millinocket’s Emma Alley had 11, Megan Peach of Dexter 10 and East Grand of Danforth’s Sarah Stoddard eight.
Also playing for the North was Dexter’s Abby Webber and Jordan Durant of Penquis. The two recorded three and six points respectively.
With blends of high-flying slam dunks, long-range 3-pointers that would make Stephen Curry smile and cohesive offensive flow, 40 of the top schoolboy players in Maine put on an incredible display of all-star basketball.
The only suspense whether new light bulbs be needed for the scoreboards, as Maine’s top basketball talent showed off their skills one final time in a thrilling day at the McDonald’s Senior All-Star games.
Bragging rights between the North and South regions wound up being split, as the Classes AA-A-B contest went to the North 127-117 while the South got a little payback in the Classes C-D affair with a 121-104 triumph.
In the C-D game state champion James Mersereau of Machias, who joined AAU teammate Justin Thompson from Schenck of East Millinocket and Nolan Altvater of Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook with 16 points, echoed the feelings of his large-school brethren.
“It was so fun,” he said. “These guys are really fun to play with. The dunk contest, that was fun.”
Mr. Basketball finalist Jacob Hickey of Winthrop and Nick Morales of Madison each tossed in 22 points to pace the South. Both squads showed outstanding chemistry on the offensive end.
“It was just fun to get out there and have some fun playing some ball,” said Mersereau. “We’re all good ballplayers. We all read each other well.”
Mersereau also got to reunite with AAU teammates and friends Mitch Jarvis of Madison (16 points) and Morales.
The North’s other double-figure scorers were George Stevens of Blue Hill’s Jarrod Chase and Nate Gilman of Lee Academy (13 points).
Brayden Miller of Dexter scored five points in his team’s victory. Penquis head coach Jason Mills served as a co-coach for the North squad.
Bangor Daily News photo/Ashley L. Conti
MCDONALD’S SENIOR ALL-STARS — The South’s Barrett Grant, left, blocks a shot from North team’s Brayden Miller of Dexter during the Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Class C/D basketball game at Husson University in Bangor on March 11. Taking part in the girls’ contest on Saturday were Megan Peach and Abby Webber of Dexter and Penquis’ Jordan Durant.