Players to watch: Dirigo — Riley Robinson Sr. F/G; Gavin Arsenault, Sr. F; Clay Swett Sr. C; Winthrop — Jacob Hickey, Jr. G; Anthony Owens, Sr. C; Bennett Brooks, Jr. G; Madison — Chase Malloy, Sr. F; Mitch Jarvais, Jr. C; Sean Whalen, Soph. G; Waynflete — Milo Belleau Sr. G; Yai Deng, Jr. F; Abel Alemayo, Sr. G; Wiscasset — Ethan James, Jr. F; Brandon Sprague, Sr. F; Kevin Lynch, Jr. F; Boothbay — Jacob Leonard, Jr. F; Abel Bryer, Sr. F; Kyle Ames, Soph. G; Old Orchard Beach — Erik Hogan, Sr. G; Evan Christensen, Jr. F; Sam Custeau, Sr. C; Richmond — Cody Tribbet, Jr. F; Matt Holt, Jr. F; Zach Small, Soph. G.

Favorites: Dirigo, Winthrop, Waynflete.

The Cougars are defending champions and are 16-3 in tournament games at Augusta since 2009. They also have the consensus best overall player in the tournament. Robinson has a shot at 2,000 career points if Dirigo advances to another state final. He’s far from the only option for the Cougars, who have Swett as a consistent double-digit scorer and Arsenault as a defensive stopper.

Not to be outdone, Hickey is probably the best pure shooter in the field. Winthrop’s marksman has hit as many as 10 3-pointers in a game this season, and to hold him under four or five is a great defensive night. The Ramblers are a hard-nosed defensive team, which can cause difficulty if games are called more closely in the tournament atmosphere.

Waynflete tested itself with a beefy schedule that included Falmouth, Lake Region and Yarmouth, all threats to win either the Class A or B South tourneys. Belleau and Deng are a dynamic inside-out combination.

Dark horses: Madison, Old Orchard Beach.

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The Bulldogs are big and athletic. They’re also on a roll and battle-tested, having won five consecutive games, including impressive late-season wins over Winthrop, Wiscasset and Boothbay.

OOB entered the bracket as a No. 7 seed a year ago and gave Dirigo fits. The Seagulls are strong and explosive enough to do damage. The only major question is strength of schedule. Prior to its overtime preliminary triumph over Monmouth, Old Orchard Beach’s only wins over tournament teams were Poland, Richmond, A.R. Gould and Pine Tree.

Fun facts: Dirigo is the No. 1 seed for the seventh time in the past 10 years and seeks its sixth regional title in eight seasons … The Cougars were kept under 65 points only four times all season. Winthrop accomplished the feat twice … Waynflete beat Class A No. 2 seed Falmouth and owns eight wins over Class B opponents, including tournament teams Wells and Poland … Madison’s three losses were by a total of 14 points to fellow tournament teams Dirigo, Boothbay and Monmouth … Boothbay qualified for its 23rd consecutive tournament under coach I.J. Pinkham, who posted career win No. 602 in the preliminary round … Wiscasset meets Waynflete in the quarterfinals for the third time in six years. The Wolverines lost both previous contests and haven’t advanced past that round since 2009 … Old Orchard Beach has been eliminated by an MVC team each year since 2010 … Richmond makes its first appearance in the Class C draw since a 65-62 quarterfinal loss to Livermore Falls in 1985. The Bobcats won their first of six Class D regional titles the next year.

Overview: Dirigo’s draw is a mixed bag. The Cougars seem to have a decided advantage over Richmond, up from Class D and still playing the bulk of its schedule against those schools, in the quarterfinals. That would set up a semifinal battle against either Waynflete, which knocked out Dirigo in 2013 and won the regional a year later, or Wiscasset, which pushed the Cougars to the brink in their lone regular season meeting at Dixfield. The hunch is that Robinson will put away a close one at the free-throw line in either case.

On the other side of the bracket, both quarterfinals could be barnburners. Madison and Boothbay split during the regular season. The Bulldogs are a little taller and a little deeper, both of which could spin the rubber match in their direction. As long as junior-dominated Winthrop doesn’t go into an extended offensive funk at any point, it should have the firepower to oust OOB. Given that a loss in the next-to-last week of the regular season at Madison cost Winthrop the No. 1 seed, the Ramblers will be itching for retribution if those two teams collide in the semis.

Defense dominated both Dirigo-Winthrop clashes this winter, and don’t expect anything different in the tension of a regional title game. Each team kept the rival’s star player under wraps, and contributions from Robinson and Hickey’s supporting casts likely would settle the issue again. I like the edge that Arsenault gives Dirigo defensively, and the Cougars have some unsung 3-point threats who can step up and hit those uncontested bombs with a trophy on the line.

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Prediction: Dirigo.

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