2021-22 boys basketball preview capsules

BUCKFIELD BUCKS
Coach: Ryley Flynn (first year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: 0-8
Returning athletes: Seniors — Zach Shields (G), Colby Jordan (F), Hudson Cregg (G); Juniors — Gavin Charest (C), Ayden Jefferson (F), Jaiden Jack (G).
Key loss: Rick Kraske.
Promising newcomers: Sophomore— Thomas Fulton (G); Freshman — Seamus Keough (G).
Season outlook: The Bucks’ experience, including three seniors and three juniors, should help them in their first season in the Mountain Valley Conference. The goal for Buckfield is to “make the playoffs in an always tough MVC conference while playing competitively each and every game,” Flynn said.

DIRIGO COUGARS
Coach: Cody St. Germain (fourth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: 8-5
Returning athletes: Senior — Wyatt Smith (C); Juniors — Charlie Houghton (F), Trenton Hutchinson (G), Dakota Tompkins (G), Trent Holman (G), Bode Gray (F), Austin Adams (G).
Key losses: PJ Merrill, Cole Brown.
Promising newcomers: Junior — Mason Ducharme (G); Sophomore — Logan Timberlake (C); Freshman — Nathaniel Wainwright (G/F).
Season outlook: St. Germain said that a strong junior class that includes six returners will help the Cougars be competitive this season. “We have a good mix of shooting, scoring and ball-handling but need to continue to work on toughness and the defensive side of the ball,” St. Germain said.

EDWARD LITTLE RED EDDIES
Coach: Mike Adams (21st year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: AA North
Last year’s results: 8-4
Returning athletes: Seniors — John Shea (C), Pat Anthoine (F).
Key losses: RJ Nichols, Tong Maiwen.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Hamza Sheikh (F); Junior — Landon Cougle (F); Sophomores — Eli St. Laurent (G), Marshal Adams (G).
Season outlook: Adams said a strong summer helped the Red Eddies find their identity and “style of play best suited for their strengths.” Senior center John Shea played a key role in Edward Little’s 2019-20 state title, and will be a player to watch in Maine this season, but he’s only one piece of the Eddies’ puzzle. “The variety of personal skill sets by each player could prove to be a big asset for (us) this season,” Adams said.

GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER PATRIOTS
Coach: Ryan Deschenes (10th year)
Conference: WMC; Class: A South
Last year’s results: 6-4
Returning athletes: Seniors — Jay Hawkes (G), Josh Michaud (G), Aubray Lincoln (F), Terell Claxton (F), Anthony Prescott (G), Gage Rowe (G), Cameron Cormier (F), Max Kenney (G/F); Junior — Michael Ryan (F); Sophomores — Nate Hebert (G), Aidan Hebert (G).
Key loss: Wyatt Kenney.
Promising newcomers: Junior — Nick Bouchard (G); Sophomore — Noah Hebert (G).
Season outlook: Jay Hawkes leads a group of four returning starters that will be crucial to the Patriots’ success. Deschenes expects Hawkes, who averaged 12 points per game last winter, to be a top scorer in the Western Maine Conference. “Experience, speed, shooting and pressure defense will be the staples for a successful season,” Deschenes said. Josh Michaud is one of the top on-ball defenders in the WMC, according to Deschenes, and Aubray Lincoln is a solid rebounder.

HEBRON LUMBERJACKS
Coach: Amo Weld (first year)
Conference: MAISAD; Class: NEPSAC Class C
Returning athletes: None.
Promising newcomers: Post-grads — Nick Cantalupo (F), Jackson Susser (G), Frew Rowen (G), Tripp Chapman (F); Seniors — Nick Demarco (G), Demari Gray (G), Nizar Khairy (G), Masa Takabayashi (F); Juniors — Kaan Usulaar (F), Aaron Han (G); Sophomores — Eason Chen (G), Sam Kritzman (G), Sam Levit (G); Freshmen — John Gendron (F), Emmit Hatch (G).
Season outlook: The Lumberjacks have a new coach and a completely new team, with no returning players from two seasons ago, the last time Hebron played varsity basketball. “We have a senior-laden roster that features a couple high-impact scorers,” Weld said. “We are hoping to steadily build chemistry and get better each game as we take on a competitive schedule.”

LEAVITT HORNETS
Coach: Mike Hathaway (14th year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: B South
Returning athletes: Seniors — Hunter Hayes, Ben Sirois, Ian Redstone, Degan Jordan; Juniors — Sawyer Hathaway, Brett Coburn, Nick Morin; Sophomores — Noah Carpenter, Luke Morey.
Key losses: Wyatt Hathaway, Joziah Learned, Tommy Casey.
Promising newcomers: Declan Giroux, Zack Wallingford.
Season outlook: Coach Mike Hathaway said the Hornets are versatile on defense, with the length of Coburn, Sawyer Hathaway, Redstone and Morin and the quickness and toughness of Jordan, Hayes, Sirois and Carpenter. Hathaway added that several players will have to step up to replace the scoring of Wyatt Hathaway, who graduated as the program’s all-time leader in points. “Offensively, they all will have to step up their playmaking and scoring as we will need to rely on more balanced scoring throughout the lineup,” Hathaway said.

LEWISTON BLUE DEVILS
Coach: Elgin Physic (first year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: AA North
Last year’s results: 3-7
Returning athletes: Seniors — Donovan Jackson (G), Trevin Ritchie (G), Ali Abduallahi (G), Eli Scales (G), Malik Foster (G), David Omasambo (G), Ring Ring (F); Juniors — Eli Bigelow (F), Caed Langley (F).
Promising newcomers: Senior — Kaleb Danner (F); Juniors — Khoven Langley (G), Issac Shannon (G), Jibril Holloman (F); Sophomores — Yusef Dakene (G), Michael Klick (G).
Season outlook: Physic, who takes over for Ronnie Turner, who is now an assistant at Bates College, expects the Blue Devils to be much improved this season. Lewiston has seven seniors returning, including Omasambo, Foster and Bigelow, who have the potential to be among the top players in Class AA North. Sophomore Yusef Dakene could be a top contributor. “We have a talented team that is going to work hard to get better to be the best version of ourselves,” Physic said.

LISBON GREYHOUNDS
Coach: Jake Gentle (10th year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B South
Returning athletes: Seniors — Mason Booker (F), Charlie Doyle (G), Nick Ferrence (G), Hunter McCausland (G); Juniors — Levi Tibbetts (F), Owen Smith (F), Adien Parker (G), Chase Mailhot (G), Cannon Cameron (F); Sophomore — Caden Boonem (G).
Key losses: Neil LaRochelle, Owen Fish.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Elijah Martin; Junior — Gavin Grenier.
Season outlook: The Greyhounds return four seniors and five juniors, and coach Jake Gentle is excited about the potential of the veteran group. “We have a good mix of players that work hard and love playing basketball,” Gentle said. “Coming off a shortened season, we hope to improve as the season progresses.”

MONMOUTH MUSTANGS
Coach: Wade Morrill (sixth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: 4-5
Returning athletes: Seniors — Hayden Fletcher (G), Seth McKenney (G); Juniors — Manny Calder (G), Gavin Willett (G), Hunter Frost (F), Alex Orne (G), Owen Harding (G), Isaac Oliveira (G); Sophomores — Sammy Calder (F); Lucas Harmon (F).
Key losses: Cam Armstrong, T.J. Lewis.
Promising newcomer: Freshman — Bingham Abbott.
Season outlook: Morrill said that after being picked 10th in the Mountain Valley Conference in the preseason poll, the Mustangs have an opportunity to play above prediction. “It all depends on how hard we work, how well we play together and how smart we play on every single night,” Morrill said. “We are not given much respect as a team/program. We either live up to those expectations or we will show up, outwork everyone, play together and earn what we want, or we won’t.”

MOUNTAIN VALLEY FALCONS
Coach: Scot New (fourth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B South
Last year’s results: 5-7
Returning athletes: Juniors — Zach New (G/F), Airick Richard (F), Leon Salmon (G).
Key losses: Kalen Chase, EJ Weston, Keagan Pitcher, Ethan Casey, Caleb Frisbie.
Promising newcomers: Juniors — William Gallant (G), Tucker Laramee (F), Brayden Duguay (C); Sophomores — Jake New (G), Owen Sevigny (G), Seneca Jones (F), Jyrrmal Yates (F); Freshman — Ben Desalle (F).
Season outlook: Juniors Zach New and Airick Richard have played significant minutes since their freshman season, so coach Scot New expects them to be leaders for a team that has added nine new players. “We are a young team that is hoping to get some productive minutes from some of the newcomers,” Scot New said. “We will grow and learn each day we are in the gym together. This is a very coachable team.”

MT. ABRAM ROADRUNNERS
Coach: Dustin Zamboni (fourth season)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s record: 6-2
Returning athletes: Seniors — Wyatt Siemenski, Adam Luce, Trevor Phelps; Juniors — Kaden Pillsbury, Tucker Plouffe, Dylan Thorne; Sophomore — Payton Mitchell.
Key losses: Kenyon Pillsbury, Hunter Warren, Parker Ross, Thomas Deckard-Madore.
Promising newcomers: Senior— Brenden Williamson; Sophomore — Cameron Gray; Freshmen— Raegan Lockaby, Logan Dube, Bryce Wilcox.
Season outlook: The Roadrunners are coming off a 6-2 season and return six upperclassmen to the team. Head coach Dustin Zamboni said Mt. Abram is a “great group of young men in a very competitive league.”

MT. BLUE COUGARS
Coach: Troy Norton (third year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A North
Last year’s results: 3-11
Returning athletes: Seniors — Justin Dill (G), Branden Azevedo (C); Juniors — Zach Poisson (G), Chandler Briggs (G), Jayden Meader (G), Hayden Dippner (G), Zak Koban (F), Seth Pinkham (F); Sophomores — Evans Sterling (F), Charles Stevens (F).
Key loss: Eli Craig.
Promising newcomer: Freshman — Nolan Leso (F).
Season outlook: The Cougars return much of the roster from last winter, and Norton expects the experience the young team gained last year to be beneficial this season. Norton said he expects the Cougars to be competitive in Class A North.

OAK HILL RAIDERS
Coach: Tom Smith (11th year)
Conference: MVC Class: B South
Last year’s results: 7-3
Returning athletes: Seniors — Jackson Arbour (F), D’Andre Daniels (G), Silas Dumont (F), Tiger Hopkins (G), Ramon Spearman (F), Caden Thompson (F); Junior — Maverick Swan.
Key losses: Gavin Rawstron, Alex Fournier, Sam Lindsay.
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Pietro Caprese (F), Fernando DoValle (G); Juniors — Kyle Delano (G), Cooper Scott (F), Ethan Vattaso (F).
Season outlook: Head coach Tom Smith brings back a cohesive group that he says has a lot of experience playing together dating back to middle school travel basketball. An eight-player senior class will lead a Raiders team that went 7-3 a season ago. “The addition of Kyle Delano, Cooper Scott and Ethan Vattaso gives the team added depth and athleticism, allowing for an up-tempo style of offense and aggressive style of defense the Raiders like to play,” Smith said.

OXFORD HILLS VIKINGS
Coach: Scott Graffam (40th year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: AA North
Last year’s results: 9-4
Returning athletes: Seniors — Isaiah Oufiero, Colby Dillingham; Juniors — Eli Soehren, Tanner Bickford, Cole Pulkkinen, Lincoln Merrill; Sophomore — Teigan Pelletier.
Key losses: Hayden Paine, Keegan Watson, Ty LeBlond, Cyrus Hooker.
Promising newcomers: Juniors — Brenden Palmer, Wyatt Cooper, Zach Corbett; Sophomores — Holden Shaw, Jake Carson; Freshman — Eli Laverdiere.
Season outlook: Oxford Hills has a mix of classes that will contribute this season. Dillingham will be a focus for opposing teams in the post, while Pulkkinen and Soehren will be forces inside and out. Pelletier also can shoot from outside. “The schedule is really difficult,” Graffam said. “We hope to compete and be in the top four.”

POLAND KNIGHTS
Coach: Bill Flynn (first year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B South
Last year’s results: 4-7
Returning athletes: Seniors — Hunter Gibson, Joe Levesque, Chance Brown, Joe Hudson; Juniors — Hayden Christner, Shane Yorkey, Hunter Brackett.
Key losses: Joe Ringuette, Evan Kelly, Isaiah Hill.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — John Patenaude, Logan Dubuc.
Season outlook: First-year coach Bill Flynn said seniors Hunter Gibson and Joe Levesque lead what should be a strong core for the Knights this season. Flynn said he also thinks Christner, Yorkey and Brackett will be contributors in 2021-22. “After last year’s shortened season, the team has high expectations this year and hopes to make a strong run at making some noise in Class B,” Flynn said.

RANGELEY LAKERS
Coach: Jeff LaRochelle (ninth year)
Conference: East-West; Class: D South
Last year’s results: Did not play.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Chase Carmichael (C), Boden Washington (F); Juniors — Trevor Dolbier (G), Austin Hathaway (F).
Promising newcomers: Junior — Jackob Barrows (F); Sophomores — Barrett Quimby (G), Tucker Beaulieu (G); Freshmen — Braydon Thompson (G), Anthony Whittier (G/F), Ryder Sargent (G), Zack Madrid (G); Eighth-graders – Malcom Batch (G), Kesley Manenge (G), Alex Hathaway (F).
Season outlook: The Lakers didn’t play last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so LaRochelle is stressing the basics. “We are trying to close the gap that was created by not playing, on skill improvement, timing and game situations,” LaRochelle said. “Hopefully we will show a progression throughout the season.” The Lakers return two seniors and two juniors and bring in 10 newcomers. “We hope to make progress each week as we mix new kids with the more experienced ones,” LaRochelle said.

ST. DOM’S SAINTS
Coach: Josh LaPrell (third year)
Conference: WMC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: 3-8
Returning athletes: Seniors — Gabe Carey (G), Noah Cyr (F), Michael Stowe (G); Sophomores — Campbell Perryman (F), Logan Carey (G), Connor Cyr (G), Kyle Reed (G), Jayden Brown (F).
Key losses: None.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Riley Patriquin (F); Freshman — Taylor Varney (G), Jonathan Tangilamesu (F), John Brocke (F), Mason LaFlamme (G), Ayden Rand (G), Daniel Iwuanyanwu (G).
Season outlook: Third-year coach Josh LapPrell returns three starters this season, including all-conference guard Gabe Carey. Noah Cyr and Michael Stowe, senior captains on the Saints, are poised for big years, according to LaPrell. With six freshmen entering the fold, the Saints are adding depth to their already experienced team. Jonathan Tangilamesu and Taylor Varney are two freshmen that LaPrell expects to make an impact immediately. LaPrell also expects sophomore Campbell Perryman to have a “breakout year.”

SPRUCE MOUNTAIN PHOENIX
Coach: Scott Bessey (eighth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B South
Last year’s results: 9-3
Returning athletes: Seniors — Camden Phillips (G), Owen Bryant (F), Jayden Perreault (F); Juniors — Elie Timler (F), Lucas Towers (G); Sophomore — Ian York (G).
Key losses: Lorne Grondin, Bradley Shamba, Jordan Blanche.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Keegan Turner (G); Junior — Kaleb Finelli (F); Freshman — Jace Bessey (G).
Season outlook: Phillips, Perreault and Bryant all have two years of significant varsity experience and will be relied on to be leaders for Spruce Mountain this season. Returners Tower and Timler got a lot of varsity minutes last winter, and coach Scott Bessey said Jace Bessey and York should contribute as underclassmen this season. Scott Bessey said the Phoenix are deep and should be dangerous offensively. Spruce expects to be in the mix for a Mountain Valley Conference title and make the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season.

TELSTAR REBELS
Coach: Ryan Kimball (first year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: Did not play.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Brayden Stevens (C), Myles Lilly (G); Junior — Tristan Pelletier (G).
Key loss: Davin Mason.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Francesco Campra (G); Sophomores — Gavinn Martin (G), Wyatt Lilly (G).
Season outlook: Kimball, an assistant for seven years, takes over the the head coach position for the first time this season. The Rebels didn’t play last season, so it might take some time for them to jell. Kimball is optimistic about the young talent the team has this season. “(We) have some promising young talent that will need to contribute right away in order for the team to succeed this season,” Kimball said.

WINTHROP RAMBLERS
Coach: Todd MacArthur (11th year)
Conference: MVC Class: C South
Last year’s results: 10-3
Returning athletes: Seniors — Logan Baird (G), Andrew Foster (F); Juniors — Matt Beck (G), Brayden Stubbert (G), Rob Feeney (F), Tyler Shumway (G) Andrew Fay (F).
Key losses: Gavin Perkins, Ian Steele, Noah Grube.
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Nate Hachey (G), Chase Graves (G); Junior — Hayden Rivers (G); Freshmen — Carter Rivers (G), Cole Bard (F).
Season outlook: The Ramblers will need to replace experience that led last year’s team to a come-from-behind victory in the Class C/D Central Maine tournament last winter. MacArthur is optimistic that Winthrop can “reload with a new cast of players,” adding, “they will look to put forth the necessary effort to get better each and every day in hopes that when February comes around, they are a tough team to play.”