Thornton Academy’s Will Davies and Gardiner High School’s Lizzy Gruber were named the 2023 Mr. and Miss Maine Basketball award winners on Friday night at the Anah Shrine Hall in Bangor.
Gruber led the Tigers to a spot in the Class A North final, where they fell to Lawrence.
Gruber averaged 20.7 points per game, 15.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. In her entire career, Gruber failed to get a double-double in just nine games.
The senior is the first player in Gardiner’s history to win the award.
Sierra Carson of Oxford Hills (17.4 points per game) and Elise MacNair of Old Orchard Beach (24.3 ppg) were also finalists for the award.
Davies is the first player from Thornton Academy to win the award. Davies’ father, Bob, won the award in 1994, marking the first time a father and son have won the award.
A 6-foot-3 point guard, Davies averaged 20.4 points, 6.9 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game for the Trojans. Davies led Thornton Academy to a Class AA North final appearance this season.
Silvano Ismail of Cheverus (25.6 points per game) and Brewer’s Brady Saunders (24 ppg) were the other two finalists.
The awards are presented each year to the senior boy and girl student-athlete who have exhibited outstanding skills throughout his and her career, has made a significant impact on his and her team, has demonstrated respect for the game through leadership on and off the court, has epitomized the values of sportsmanship, and has been a positive school and community citizen, according to the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches and Maine McDonalds.