It’s only the second week of game action for most Maine high school basketball teams, but the schedule is absolutely packed with strong early season matchups.
So if you’re a basketball fan looking for an exciting game to watch this week, you’re in luck. And if you’re in the Bangor area, you won’t have to travel very far for some of them.
Tuesday night will be particularly busy, with the Messalonskee Eagles in town to test the Bangor boys after the Rams battled back for an overtime win against Brunswick over the weekend. And the longtime rivalry between neighboring Old Town and Orono will get a new twist Tuesday night, with Orono moving down to Class C this season.
Bangor boys vs. Messalonskee
The Rams will host the Eagles at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night, facing a tough early test against the reigning Class A North champions. Bangor has already won as many regular season games, one, as it did a year ago. The Rams will look to build off Saturday’s overtime season opening win at Brunswick under new head coach Jay Kemble.
Messalonskee dropped its season opener against Mt. Blue of Farmington and has a new head coach of its own, Seth Farrington.
Hampden Academy girls at Camden Hills
Two of the top teams in girls Class A North from a year ago are set for an early season reunion at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport.
The Hampden Broncos got the better of the Camden Windjammers in a double overtime thriller to claim the Class A North crown last season, and Tuesday night’s rematch looks likely to deliver more hard-fought action between the two teams.
Hampden coach Nick Winchester graduated just one senior from last year’s squad, and the Broncos should be paced this season by a duo of junior guards in Eve Wiles and Aubrey Shaw along with a formidable post presence from senior Grace Labree down low.
Old Town boys vs. Orono
This classic rivalry will look a little different this year with the Coyotes and Red Riots no longer in the same class, but don’t expect the Old Town High School gym to be any less raucous as the neighboring towns square off at 7 p.m. Tuesday night.
Orono had been a perennial power in Class B but is now a Class C school after this year’s reclassification. But that doesn’t make Orono an underdog heading into the early season rivalry matchup, with the Red Riots just one season removed from back-to-back state championships.
Both teams have started this season without their centerpieces from last year, with Old Town’s dominant former post presence Emmitt Byther now in his freshman season at the University of Maine and Orono’s leader Will Francis now playing football at Husson University.
Old Town heads into the game 0-1 after a loss to Presque Isle and Orono is 1-0 after a season-opening win against Bucksport.
Lawrence girls vs. Oceanside
Don’t be surprised if these two teams meet again in the girls Class B state title game. A lot can happen between now and then, but Lawrence starts the season with arguably the best player across the state in Maddie Provost, and Oceanside looks poised for another strong year in B South action.
Lawrence of Fairfield has moved from Class A to B North, and immediately stands atop the list of potential regional title contenders. Oceanside of Rockland doesn’t appear to be leaving its perch as one of the top teams in B South anytime soon, especially with the arrival of freshman Olivia Breen, who received multiple college offers before playing a single high school game.
The two teams will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday night at Lawrence High School in Fairfield.
Penobscot Valley girls at Dexter
The Penobscot Valley girls rolled to a Class C state title last season, and while they are now playing in Class D, they’ll face a familiar opponent on Wednesday night. The Howlers of Howland will travel to Dexter Regional High School to take on the Class C Tigers at 6:30 p.m.
The Howlers kick off their title defense, albeit in a different class this year, returning most of last year’s championship team. Dexter dropped its first game of the season to a challenging Mattanawcook Academy squad from Lincoln.
Caribou boys at Fort Kent
Two of the most promising teams in Class C boys hail from Aroostook County, and they will clash on Wednesday night in Fort Kent. The Caribou Vikings, last year’s Class B champs, have joined the Fort Kent Warriors in Class C this year.
Caribou kicked the year off in exciting fashion with a one-point win over Ellsworth on Saturday, and Fort Kent is also 1-0 after beating John Bapst of Bangor to start the season.
Wednesday night’s game will also feature a few of the top players in Class C North, with Fort Kent’s Aden Jeffers and the Caribou pair of Landen Belanger and Owen Corrigan among the division’s upper echelon of individual performers.
Madawaska boys at Central Aroostook
Both Madawaska and Central Aroostook won their season openers in what promises to be a crowded race to the top in Class D North this year. The Owls of Madawaska feature one of the most captivating individual performers of last year’s tournament in Quinn Pelletier, who earned regional MVP honors despite only being an eight grader. And the Panthers of Central Aroostook will be looking to fill the void left by another of the region’s top players from a year ago, Jahleel Joseph, who has taken his talents to a top basketball prep school in Maryland.
“Just because we lost Jahleel, we still have a lot of talent coming through. We still have a really good team,” Central Aroostook coach Griffin Guerrette said in August, pointing out that the team has already been playing well over the summer.
Bangor Christian girls vs. Machias
Both Bangor Christian and Machias girls should be in the conversation in Class D North this season, and they will meet on Saturday at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The Bangor Christian Patriots and new head coach Brock Bradford have been beating up on opponents so far, with blow-out wins over Stearns of Millinocket and Deer Isle-Stonington to kick off the season.
Machias is currently 1-0 with its own win over Deer Isle-Stonington, and the Bulldogs will travel to Bangor for the 2 p.m. matchup at the Cross Center.