Nicholas DePatsy of Medomak Valley and Hampden Academy’s Brendan McIntyre and Conar Moore won a lot of basketball games during their high school careers.
The standouts hope to continue that trend next season when they, and five other talented players, join forces at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.
Mariners head coach David Muchnick has announced his recruiting class, which also includes Riley MacLeod of Bucksport, Jack O’Rourke of Cape Elizabeth, Jerrell Duguay-Webster of Amherst, New Hampshire, Andrew Liebert of Plano, Texas, and Peyton Parker of Cleveland, Tennessee.
“Our 2016 recruiting class is an important piece during this historic time for Maine Maritime basketball,” Muchnick said in a press release. “Never before in its history has our program had four different states represented by an incoming class, or that we return over 90 percent of our scoring next season. The talent is here, the depth is here, the desire and work ethic is here, now it’s time to go out and finally prove it.”
DePatsy is a 6-foot-3 guard who helped Medomak Valley of Waldoboro earn Eastern Maine Class B titles in 2013 and 2015. He scored 1,313 career points (20.3 points per game) and averaged 6.9 rebounds and was a two-time, BDN All-Maine second-team choice and a Mr. Maine Basketball semifinalist.
Moore was a piece of Hampden Academy’s success story during the last four seasons. The 6-3 forward was a two-time, KVAC All-Defensive Team pick who totalled 322 points, 253 rebounds and 100 assists in his career.
McIntyre, a 6-3 guard, was a key cog on a Broncos team that rolled to an 82-4 record, including three undefeated regular seasons, and won three regional titles and two state championships. He was a BDN All-Maine third-team selection in 2015.
The 6-7 MacLeod was a key part in Bucksport’s run to the Class B North championship game last season. The big man, who is a good passer and can take defenders away from the basket, averaged 10.3 points and 9.4 rebounds. He shot 77 percent from the foul line.
O’Rourke helped Cape Elizabeth capture the Class B state crown in 2015. The 6-foot point guard registered 9.6 points and 4.1 assists for the Capers.
Duguay-Webster is a 6-4 forward out of Souhegan High School. The two-year captain and two-time conference sportsmanship award honoree averaged 14.9 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 2.2 steals.
The 6-3 Liebert played most recently at Legacy Christian Academy, where he posted 14.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and shot 40 percent from the 3-point over two seasons. He was an all-district, first-team pick last season.
Parker is a 6-7 forward who played at Bradley Central High School. The left-hander shot 61 percent from the floor en route to seven points per game to help his team win two district titles and one regional championship.
UMPI baseball joins NY league
Since 2011, the University of Maine at Presque Isle baseball program has been without a conference affiliation.
However, the Owls are gearing up this week for a trip to Staten Island, New York, where they will participate in the City Universities of New York Athletic Conference tournament.
UMPI announced on Monday that the school has agreed to join the CUNYAC as an associate member in baseball only.
“This is a historic and excellent opportunity for our program,” said UMPI baseball coach Mike Pankow. “The young men that make up this program work hard and are deserving of the chance to play for a championship. We are excited to be a part of the CUNYAC and look forward to the conference tournament.”
The three-year arrangement between UMPI and the CUNYAC places the Owls in a league for the first time since it competed in the now-defunct Sunrise Conference, which was affiliated with the NAIA. It marks the first time UMPI baseball will be part of an NCAA conference.
Despite not having played against any of the CUNYAC teams this season, UMPI has earned the No. 4 seed in the league tournament. It opens postseason play at at 4 p.m. Thursday against No. 5 Lehman College of Bronx, New York.
The winner moves on to the double-elimination portion of the tournament.
CUNYAC member schools include the College of Staten Island, Baruch College, John Jay College, Lehman College and The City College of New York. Finlandia University of Hancock, Michigan, also has been asked to join the conference as an associate member for baseball.
After this season, the conference will apply for automatic qualifier status which, if granted, means the CUNYAC champion would advance to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship tournament.
UMPI also has begun negotiating with league members about the possibility of playing a regular-season conference schedule.