AUGUSTA Valley and Hyde have made a habit of playing one of the best games in the boys’ tournament each year, regardless of class. This year’s Western Class D playoff was no different, although the perennial powers met one or two rounds earlier than usual in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

The Cavaliers stayed alive in their quest to reach their 10th consecutive regional final, edging Hyde, 53-50, in a game that featured a little bit of everything, as usual.

Trevor Miller of Valley turned in a triple-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocked shots. His presence disrupted a Hyde offense that already was free flowing, to say the least, shooting 17-for-77 from the field.

Hyde had a chance to tie it with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, but no contact was called on Miller’s authoritative 11th swat of the game.

Another quirky highlight: Hyde missed one of top players, Jordan Wilkins, for most of the game after he forgot to pack his jersey. A family member transported the blue shirt to the civic center by halftime, but Hyde coach Tom Bragg limited Wilkins’ playing time to less than two minutes at the end of the third quarter. Wilkins did not score.

Two-time Tutor

T.L. Tutor had to move from an island to the mountains, but the Gould Academy senior finally made it back to the Augusta Civic Center for the Western Class D boys’ basketball tournament.

“I played on this court for Islesboro when I was in eighth grade,” Tutor said. “I’m going to be graduating this year, so it’s nice to be back.”

Tutor began attending Gould as a boarding student last year. His steady play at point guard (20 points, eight assists, six steals) was a deciding factor in Saturday’s 54-34 quarterfinal victory over Forest Hills.

Gould is now 15-0 and one of two unbeaten teams in the field, along with defending regional champion Richmond.

Great white north

Ten years in the shadow of the Canadian border have flown by for Monmouth native Anthony Amero, who is boys’ basketball coach and athletic director at Forest Hills Consolidated School in Jackman.

“It doesn’t seem like that long. I love it,” Amero said of his tenure at Forest Hills, where only 68 students attend grades 9 through 12.

Nine of those are boys who suited up for the boys’ basketball team in Saturday’s quarterfinal loss to Gould. This was Forest Hills’ seventh tourney berth and fifth appearance in the quarterfinals under Amero.

Amero gained state-wide notoriety a few winters ago when he proposed the addition of a fifth class for Maine high school hoops, citing the distance between the enrollment of schools such as Forest Hills and the likes of Gould (248 students), Hyde (215) and Buckfield (204). The Maine Principals’ Association has no immediate plans to vote on the measure.

“I keep opening my big mouth and hoping that someday it will happen,” Amero said.

Amero’s school is eliminated, but he may visit the civic center Tuesday. His older brother, Rick, will coach the Monmouth girls against Mt. Abram in the Western Class C quarterfinals.

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