Gavin Kane says he normally makes it a point not to push for individual awards for his players.

But the Dirigo coach would go from Dixfield to Deer Isle to campaign for Thomas Knight as Maine’s Mr. Basketball.

“I believe this is recognition that he is truly deserving of and, regardless of whether or not he played for me, I definitely would cast my vote for Tom,” Kane said.

Whether enough votes were cast for Knight to win will be revealed Friday night at the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches awards banquet at Newman Gymnasium on the campus of Husson College in Bangor. The Notre Dame-bound Dirigo center will have to beat out Mick DiStasio of Cheverus and Gordon Fischer of Camden Hills to become the first Class C player to take the honor since Mike Mastropaolo of Falmouth in 1997.

Whichever of the three finalists wins the award, he will be the first Mr. Basketball from his school since the MABC began handing it out in 1988.

Knight averaged 21.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 steals while leading Dirigo to a 20-2 record and its first state championship game since 1983. He finished his high school career with 1,326 points and Mountain Valley Conference coaches unanimously selected him the conference’s player of the year.

DiStasio, a 6-foot-3 guard, was named the Southern Maine Activities Association co-MVP while averaging 20.4 ppg and leading Cheverus to a 19-1 record and the Class A West semifinals. He plans to attend Trinity College.

Fischer averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game while leading Camden Hills to a perfect season and the Class B state title. He was named the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year and plans to attend Colby College.

The Miss Basketball award will also be presented. The finalists are Morgan Frame of Waterville, Diana Manduca of Deering and Sloane Sorrell of Noble.

The Maine McDonald’s All-Star Games are scheduled for Saturday, beginning at 9:15 a.m. with the boys’ C/D game. The boys’ A/B, girls’ A/B and girls’ C/D games will follow, along with a girls’ 3-point shoot-out and boys’ slam dunk contest.

Local participants in the All-Star games include: Corey Therriault, Edward Little; Ben Russell and Jamie Sawyer, Mt. Blue; Melanie Cloutier, Oxford Hills; Lindsay Henderson, Buckfield; Liz LeBlanc, Jay; Kenni Norton, Mt. Abram; Aaron Allen and Kelsey Murphy, St. Dom’s; and Lindsey Gordon, Winthrop.

Tickets are good for all events and may be purchased at the door. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for students. Net proceeds from the games benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine.