BANGOR, Maine — The four-year high school basketball careers of Nick Gilpin and Nia Irving have been filled with team success — long winning streaks and state championships the capping awards.
The Hampden Academy point guard and Lawrence of Fairfield center captured the state’s top individual awards Friday night as they were crowned the 29th Mr. and Miss Maine Basketball.
The two seniors were honored during the Maine McDonald’s/Maine Association of Basketball Coaches all-star banquet held at the Anah Shrine Hall.
The 6-foot-3-inch Gilpin led coach Russ Bartlett’s Hampden program to an 82-4 overall record during the last four years with three Eastern Maine Class A championships and Class A state titles in 2013 and 2014. The Broncos never lost a home game with Gilpin on the court.
He credited older brother Zach, a 2014 Mr. Basketball finalist and that winter’s Maine Gatorade Player of the Year who now is a freshman playing at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, for much of his growth as a player.
“Ever since I was younger, my brother and I have been playing basketball in my driveway,” he said. “I think a lot of my skills have come from him pushing me to get better. And ever since Zach was a finalist for this award, it’s been something I’ve wanted to try to achieve, and I finally did it.”
Gilpin also credited the mentoring he received earlier in his career from his predecessor at point guard with the Broncos.
“Obviously I won Mr. Basketball, but it’s nothing I could have done without great teammates around me,” he said. “When I was a freshman and sophomore, Cam Scott was the point guard, and I went under his wing for a couple of years and he really taught me a lot of things that helped me throughout my career.”
Gilpin, a first-team Bangor Daily News All-Maine choice last year, averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game this winter and was named the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A player of the year. He finished his career with 1,093 points, 519 assists and 461 rebounds in joining Christian McCue (2012) as a Mr. Basketball selection from Hampden Academy.
Gilpin will continue his basketball career at Bates College in Lewiston next season.
Other Mr. Basketball finalists were Andrew Fleming of Oxford Hills of South Paris and Thomas Coyne of Falmouth.
Irving bested Maddie Hasson of South Portland and Shannon Todd of York to become the first Lawrence girls player named Miss Basketball since Cindy Blodgett in 1994.
“I’ve been just taking it one step at a time,” said Irving. “It was incredible just being named a semifinalist and a finalist for the award, and to win it is just that much more incredible.”
The 6-foot-1 Irving was a dominant inside presence throughout her career who helped resurrect the Lawrence program under veteran coach John Donato. She led the Bulldogs to the 2015 Class A state championship and a return trip to this year’s state final.
A four-time KVAC Class A player of the year, two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and a member of the Bangor Daily News All-Maine first team, Irving averaged 25.6 points and 21.1 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from inside the arc this past season.
The Boston University-bound Irving totaled 1,761 points and 1,206 rebounds during her high school career.
Irving gave special recognition during her acceptance speech to long-time teammate and friend Dominique Lewis, Lawrence’s senior point guard.
“It is definitely mixed emotions,” said Irving. “It’s sadness and happiness. We’re both going to be moving on to play at the next level, but it’s sadness because I’m going to miss playing with her so much. I’ve been playing with her since the third grade and it’s just been great having her as the point guard. I couldn’t have asked for a better one.”
Among other awards presented Friday night, recently retired York High School girls basketball coach Rick Clark was named recipient of the MABC Contributor Award. Clark coached York to more than 500 victories over a three-decade career, capping off that run with an undefeated season and the 2016 Class A state championship.
Clark also has been active for many years in MABC leadership.
Maine McDonald’s-MABC activities continue Saturday with a full schedule of events at Newman Gymnasium on the campus of Husson University in Bangor.
The state free-throw shooting championship will be held at 8:30 a.m., followed at 9:15 by the girls Classes AA-A-B senior all-star game and at 10:45 by the boys AA-A-B game.
A 3-point shooting competition follows at 12:15 p.m., followed by a slam dunk competition at 12:30, with the boys Classes C-D senior all-star game at 1 p.m. and the girls C-D game at 2:30.
