Last year’s Class A North boys basketball tournament was a prime example of just why the games are played instead of merely being theorized by prognosticators.
A Hampden Academy team coming off a 20-point win over Portland in the 2015 Class A state final was back with its entire starting lineup intact, the heaviest of favorites as the season began to win at least its fifth consecutive regional championship.
But injuries plagued the Broncos throughout the winter, and when the state’s eventual Mr. Basketball, Nick Gilpin, got hurt during Hampden’s Class A North semifinal against Oceanside of Rockland-Thomaston and returned at less than 100 percent, it was just too much.
Oceanside fought off the Broncos to end their undefeated season, then defeated neighboring Medomak Valley of Waldoboro to secure that consolidated school’s first regional crown.
This year’s Class A North field appears much more balanced from the outset, with several teams capable of staking a claim as best in class.
That includes Hampden, though the Broncos will have a vastly different look with their most recent Fab Four — Gilpin, Brendan McIntire, Jake Black and Conar Moore — now graduated.
Junior center Ian McIntyre, with two years of starting with that class of 2016 already on his resume, should continue to provide inside scoring, rebounding and defense, and he’ll take on an additional role this winter — team leader.
“He hasn’t had to do this before but he’s been groomed by good players and leaders before him,” Hampden head coach Russ Bartlett said. “It may take him some time to get comfortable in this role but I feel he’s up to the task. He has gotten stronger and been getting his teammates in the weight room, which has been a great start.”
Others expected to contribute in a more significant way include senior forward Mike Labun, junior forward Thomas Raye, junior guard Johnny Wolfington and sophomore guards Kory Winch and Ross Webb.
“I feel like we are lacking experience so I expect us to be a bit inconsistent early in the season as roles are established,” Bartlett said. “Our goals obviously will be to get better every day in hopes to be there come February when the tournament rolls around.
“I think with hard work we could be a tough out come tourney time.”
Oceanside similarly suffered significant graduation losses, but the breakthrough season experienced by coach Matt Breen’s club last winter should serve the returning Mariners well.
Returning players should include senior guards Nate Raye, Sam Atwood and Nick Tinker, junior forward Michael Norton Jr., junior center Josh Peaco and sophomore guard Cooper Wirkala, providing a solid foundation of size and perimeter skills to commence Oceanside’s title defense.
Medomak Valley, while graduating five seniors, including BDN All-Maine forward Nicholas DePatsy, will be anchored by another of the region’s top centers regardless of class in 6-foot-7 senior Cameron Allaire.
“His upside is huge,” said Medomak Valley head coach Nick DePatsy, who has guided the Panthers to two regional (Class B) championships in the last four years. “He really has improved on both ends of the floor, and most impressive to me is how his decision making has improved.
“He really is going to be counted on for rebounding, scoring, getting out on run-outs and blocking shots. His footwork and hands are as good as it gets, and his shot has improved in the midrange area. He’s also very coachable.”
Two other players from last winter’s rotation, 6-3 senior guard Kyle Donlin and 6-2 senior guard Cale Gee, will add size, experience and versatility for Medomak Valley. The Panthers also will be boosted by the return of senior Zidane McMurrin, who started last year at Morse of Bath.
“This team will be very athletic,” DePatsy said. “We must use our athleticism to run, get offense off our defense and be able to finish at the rim. This team will be exciting to watch, they will play hard and will always look to improve each and every game.”
Central Maine entries that should be postseason contenders in Class A North include Skowhegan, Messalonskee of Oakland, Lawrence of Fairfield and Gardiner.
Skowhegan returns 12 of the 13 players on its postseason roster from a year ago when coach Tom Nadeau’s club reached the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
That lone graduation loss was significant — 1,000-point scorer Isaac Witham is now playing at the University of Maine at Farmington — but the Indians boast plenty of experience led by senior point guard Brendan Curran, junior swingman Cameron Barnes and sophomore forward Marcus Christopher.
“We must commit to a better effort defensively as a whole and in addition buy into what we want to do offensively as a whole,” Nadeau said. “We have to defend better individually, thus rely less on our help-side defense. Offensively, we should be balanced overall, as we have several guys who could lead us in scoring any given night.”
Messalonskee has been a tournament regular in recent years, and coach Peter McLaughlin’s Eagles may be a more guard-oriented club this winter as led by senior backcourt players Nathan Violette and James Kouletsis along with 6-5 senior wing Griffin Tuttle.
Lawrence features one of the top wing players in Class A North in senior Mason Cooper, with junior Braden Ballard among those expected to make up for frontcourt graduation losses.
“We have some size but are mostly guard oriented,” Bulldogs coach Jason Pellerin said. “Our goal is to be physically and mentally as tough as we can be. We look forward to meshing our seniors, juniors and sophomores together to have a team that represents the history and pride of the Lawrence basketball program well.”
Gardiner also figures into the tournament mix under coach Jason Cassidy, with junior point guard Isaiah Magee, senior guard Hunter Chasse and junior center Ben Shaw among the returning Tigers, though a recent injury to Shaw may move 6-foot-4-inch junior Connor McGuire into the pivot.
Also returning is Brewer head coach Ben Goodwin, back for his second stint with the Witches after the retirement of Clayton Blood. The Witches, coming off a 14-4 regular season and Class A North semifinals, may be in a bit of a rebuilding mode, but junior guard Kobe Rogerson will be back to lead the way, along with senior forward Tyler Hafford, senior guard Michael Bailey and sophomore guard Brandon Glidden.
“I feel like there are a bunch of teams that will be very competitive night in and night out,” Bartlett said. “I don’t see any team going into the tournament without three or four losses so the parity should make it exciting.”
