Pair from Milo among 2018 Maine Basketball Hall of Fame honorees

BANGOR — A 1,000-point scorer at Milo High School and a Milo native who would go on to become a coach, teacher and administrator as well as the long-time director of the Eastern Maine high school tournament are among the class of 22 players, coaches and contributors who will join the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame in August.

Sixteen inductees, five Legends of the Game and the undefeated 1960 Lewiston state championship boys basketball team that comprise the hall’s fifth class were announced on Feb. 6

The inductees include Peter Hamlin. The Milo High School graduate averaged 36 points per game his senior year in 1968, and finished with more than 1,000 points. At Ricker College in Houlton, Hamlin poured in more than 2,000 points and was named to the All-Maine College team four consecutive years. During his senior season in college, Hamlin averaged more than 24 points and 10 rebounds a game — a full season of double-doubles.

The Legends of the Hall include Bill Fletcher. The Milo native Fletcher was a long-time high school teacher, coach and administrator at Mattanawcook Academy, Falmouth, Penobscot Valley, Dexter and Brewer. And for decades, Fletcher was a fixture and familiar face to thousands of fans who attended tourney games at the Bangor Auditorium. He directed the Eastern Maine high school tournament from 1986 to 2012.

Hamlin is joined in the induction class by former Lawrence High School and University of Maine star Cindy Blodgett, former Lawrence player and longtime coach Brenda Beckwith, ex-Colby College star Paul Belanger, longtime former Mt. Blue of Farmington coach Jim Bessey, former Jonesport-Beals and UMaine star Sandi Carver, former Medomak Valley of Waldoboro and Brown University player Dean Erickson, and veteran Camden Hills of Rockport coach Jeff Hart.

Also, former Freeport High School and Duke University player Barbara Krause, longtime northern Maine high school coach Bill McAvoy, former Maine basketball commissioner and Husson University president and basketball coach Delmont “Del” Merrill, one-time University of Southern Maine athletic standout and Kennebunk High School coach Bill Obermeyer, former Bucksport High School and Husson University center Keith Ogden, legendary Bangor High School athletic standout Leroy Patterson, longtime Portland High School coach Joe Russo, and Morse High School of Bath and University of Maine star Rick Woods.

Entering the hall as Legends of the Game with Fletcher are former University of New England coach and athletic director Jim Beaudry, veteran Caribou High School athletic administrator Dwight Hunter, former Sumner of East Sullivan standout Elwood “Bimbo” Pinkham, former Cleveland Cavaliers president Thaxter Trafton and former Brunswick High and UMaine player and longtime high school administrator Arthur Warren.

The induction banquet is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.