BANGOR, Maine — Thomas Knight of Dirigo of Dixfield and Morgan Frame of Waterville, two of the state’s dominant post players throughout their high school careers, were named the state’s 2009 Mr. and Miss Maine Basketball during the annual Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star banquet held Friday night at Husson University.
Mick DiStasio of Cheverus of Portland and Gordon Fischer of Camden Hills of Rockport were the other boys finalists while Diana Manduca of Deering of Portland and Sloane Sorrell of Noble of North Berwick were the other girls finalists.
One of the most highly recruited players from Maine in recent years, the 6-foot-9 Knight led Dirigo to the 2009 Western Maine Class C title and a 74-10 record throughout his career. He will continue his basketball career on scholarship at Division I Notre Dame.
“This means a lot because when I was a freshman I came here to watch my sister [Holly], who was a C-D all-star,” said Knight. “They showed the Mr. Basketball award, and I thought about what an honor it would be.
“Then I thought it was a great honor just to be among the top 10 [semifinalists] this year, and now to be noticed at No. 1, it’s big.”
Knight became Dirigo’s career scoring leader with 1,326 points while leading the Cougars to berths in the Western D final in 2007 and 2008 before they broke through this winter to win the school’s first Western Maine crown since 1983.
Knight was a Bangor Daily News and Portland Press Herald All-Maine choice as a junior, as well as the 2008 the Lewiston Sun Journal Player of the Year.
A three-time All-Mountain Valley Conference choice, he is the 2009 conference player of the year after averaging 22.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He went on to earn the Harry C. Edwards Award as outstanding player-sportsman of the Western C tournament.
Knight also has starred beyond the high school season. Last spring he was named one of the top 10 players at the prestigious Reebok All-American Camp, and he helped his AAU team finish 11th among 160 teams at the 2007 AAU Junior National Championships, the best-ever finish by a Maine team at the nationals.
He said that experience helped him expand his game to the point where he began being recruited some of the top Division I programs in the country.
“I used to be just a low-post guy, but that helped my ability to shoot and dribble and pass and play away from the basket,” said Knight. “I just became a more complete player.”
Knight expects to spend much of his playing time away from the basket at Notre Dame, a member of the Big East Conference in basketball.
“I don’t think I’ll be a five-man [center], probably a four [power forward],” he said. “But I’ve got to get faster first.”
Frame led Waterville to one of the most successful runs in recent Maine schoolgirl basketball history, capping off her career with three consecutive Class B state championships and 66 straight victories.
The 6-foot senior center is a two-time Bangor Daily News All-Maine choice and a two-time All-State selection of the Portland Press Herald, earning Player of the Year honors in 2008. She also is a three-time Eastern B tournament MVP.
A two-year team captain for coach Ted Rioux’s club, she finished her career with a school-record 1,301 points.
“This award is a nice way to cap off everything we’ve done,” said Frame. “Our team’s worked very hard for our state championships, and to be able to accept this is just an honor.”
Frame will continue her basketball career on scholarship at Division II Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
“Hopefully I’ll get stronger and work even more on my post moves,” she said. “I probably won’t be a center in college, more like a small forward.”
Among others recognized during the annual banquet hosted by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches, Patrick Thibodeau of Greely of Cumberland and Josh Titus of Edward Little of Auburn were presented the first Maine McDonald’s Spirit of the Game Awards.
The award honors two high school seniors who embody the spirit of the sport, exemplify sportsmanship, support and inspire their teammates and coaching staff and show an ability to overcome obstacles and boundaries.
Titus, who has autism, and Thibodeau, who has Down’s syndrome, were managers for their schools’ boys basketball teams, and each suited up for his team’s last home game of the season. Titus scored nine points and grabbed two rebounds while Thibodeau made a pair of 3-pointers.
The recipients, who will serve as team managers during the Maine McDonald’s Boys A/B Senior All-Star Game on Saturday, were presented their awards by Jason McElwain.
McElwain gained national acclaim in January 2006 when as manager of the basketball team at Greece (N.Y.) Athena High School he was added to his high school’s roster for its last game of the season. McElwain, who is autistic, hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in four minutes, and his performance won an ESPY award for Best Moment in Sports.
Longtime Cony of Augusta girls basketball coach Paul Vachon was presented the MABC’s Bob Brown Contributor Award for his work on behalf of the sport in the state. Before retiring in 2008 to become Cony’s athletic administrator, Vachon guided the girls’ basketball program at his alma mater to a 451-40 record in 23 sea-sons, with 11 Eastern Maine Class A titles and seven state championships.
The Maine McDonald’s Academic All-State Scholarships were presented to Sarah Porter of Presque Isle and Mike Lachance of Maranacook of Readfield. Porter and Lachance were selected from among 20 players statewide selected to the Academic All-State Team.
The Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Weekend continues Saturday with four all-star contests, beginning with the boys C/D game at 9:15 a.m. That’s followed by the Boys A/B game at 11 a.m., the Girls A/B game at 12:45 p.m. and the Girls C/D game at 2:30.
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