Brunswick’s up-tempo style would play right into Portland’s hand.
By Randy Whitehouse
Staff Writer

With Ralph Mims behind the wheel, the Brunswick Dragons are like a sleek, stylish sports car, able to jump quickly off the line and leave opponents in the dust.

Coach Todd Hanson doesn’t usually have to advise Mims to lay off the accelerator, but then, the Dragons haven’t had to face a souped-up foe like the Portland Bulldogs.

The Dragons and Bulldogs will meet for the Class A championship at 7 p.m. tonight at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Cony and Deering will determine the girls’ championship at 3 p.m.

Hanson and Mims, who led Brunswick to the state title in 2002, got the Dragons to their second title game in three years by emphasizing an up-tempo style designed to get Mims in the open floor.

But against Portland, regarded by many as the deepest and most talented team in the state, the Dragons will try to pick and choose when to put the pedal to the metal and when to slam on the brakes.

“We can’t play AAU ball with them, which means trying to run up and down with them and score 80 points,” Hanson said. “We’ll certainly take whatever opportunities we get with Ralph in the open floor, but we really need to limit our turnovers because they’re good in transition.”

The Bulldogs, who like the Dragons are 20-1 and came out of their region as the No. 2 seed, are also pretty good in the halfcourt. Eric Shone, Joe Murphy and Mr. Maine Basketball finalist Rocco Toppi are all capable of hearing up from beyond the 3-point arc, while Toppi, Tyler Emmons and Riko Bol give them a frontcourt that is all 6-5 across and tenacious on the offensive boards.

The Dragons have the bulk to match up front, though not the height. Kevin Scully and Phil Warren, who stepped up when Mims fouled out early in Brunswick’s semifinal win over Cony, will be charged with keeping Portland off the offensive glass, while Jesse Kaplan, Justin Gauvin and Mims will have to get out on the Bulldogs’ 3-point shooters.

But the key for the Dragons, as always, will be Mims, who averages 28 points per game. The Mr. Basketball favorite scored 41 points, including 34 straight, in Brunswick’s regional final win over Bangor and was just as big of a factor at the defensive end, shutting down the Rams’ top scorer, Aaron Gallant.

Chances are the senior guard will have to come up with a similar effort on both ends for the Dragons to walk away with their second gold ball.

“I really feel we’re going to have to almost play a perfect game and keep the score where we want it,” Hanson said. “There’s not going to be a lot of room for error.”

The same could be said for Western Maine girls’ champion Deering, whose first state championship in school history will require them to stop unbeaten Cony.

Cony (21-0) rolled through the East, winning its three tournament games by an average of nearly 11 points per game. The Rams are led by 6-2 junior Katie Rollins, the most dominant low post player in the state, but Rollins enjoys plenty of support from 6-1 freshman Cassie Crawford and junior guard Briana Rende.

Deering (18-3) upset four-time regional champion McAuley in the West.

The Rams have some size to match up with Cony, with 6-2 senior center Megan Urban and 5-10 senior forward Stephanie Ramonas.

rwhitehouse@sunjournal.com

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