We are fast approaching February vacation week in Maine and that means one thing for high school sports fans: basketball regional tournament time has arrived.

Here is this reporter’s take on what to watch for in boys’ basketball with particular emphasis on the four tournaments at the Portland sites – Classes AA North, AA South, A South and B South.

FIVE X-FACTOR PLAYERS (or five guys fans will get to know)

Lukas Bouchard, York junior center: When the outside shots aren’t dropping – which happens often at the open-ended Portland Expo and cavernous Cross Insurance Arena – teams need buckets at the rim. The strong, athletic 6-foot-5 Bouchard is a double-double machine for the Wildcats, 15-3 and No. 3 in B South, and wants to bang and thrive in the paint. In AA South, Gorham’s 6-6 junior Griffin Gammon and Scarborough’s 6-9 sophomore Spencer Booth will be similarly vital for the No. 1 and 2 seeds.

Aidan Hebert, Gray-New Gloucester senior guard/forward: The Patriots’ Nate Hebert is one of the top players in southern Maine. Aidan Hebert is Nate’s nephew (yep, that’s right). He has become a key complementary scorer and like his twin brother Noah Hebert (yep, there are three Heberts, all seniors), Aidan Hebert is a tenacious defender who plays with high energy.

Leo McNabb, Cheverus junior guard: At 6-feet even and a kind-of-stringy 155 pounds, McNabb might not be your first playground pick. Until you see him play. His explosive first step, long arms and complete disregard for his own well-being make him a first-class finisher. He makes 3-pointers, hustles like heck and led AA North in scoring (16.1 ppg) for the No. 2 Stags (15-3).

Kevin Rugabirwa, Portland senior guard: Since there won’t be any quarterfinal upsets (see below), Portland will meet Cheverus in the semifinals at the Cross Insurance Arena. Rugabirwa vs. McNabb could be a great sub-plot. Cheverus won both regular-season meetings and Portland will need a big game from Rugabirwa, who averaged 14.3 points and led AA North with 2.6 steals.

Billy Birks, Falmouth junior guard: An energetic player, Birks is a true X-factor. In two of defending A South champ Falmouth’s best efforts – a season-opening 75-54 win against Gray-New Gloucester, and season-ending 56-30 win against No. 3 Freeport – Birks lit the fuse with his 3-point shooting and defense. He scored 21 against Gray and 13 (11 in the first half) against Freeport.

THREE THINGS WE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO SEE

1. Oceanside scores 100 points. The 18-0 Mariners cracked the century mark six times. We’d love to see a seventh. But the bigger Expo court, tougher shooting background and stronger opponents make it highly unlikely.

2. A quarterfinal upset in AA North or AA South. We’re not talking a No. 5 beating a No. 4. That doesn’t count. Only five of the 14 AA teams have winning records and it says here all will reach the CIA. The two No. 1 seeds – Windham (16-2) in the North, Gorham (16-2) in the South – are already there with byes to the semis. South No. 2 Scarborough (14-4), Cheverus and Portland will join them.

3. Falmouth Coach David Halligan having to wait until next year for his 600th win. Halligan, Falmouth’s coach since 1987, has 598 wins entering the tournament.

THREE MATCHUPS WE WANT TO SEE

1. Falmouth against Gray-New Gloucester in the A South final. The two best teams in the league present a fun style contrast.

2. Oceanside vs. York in the B South final. No. 2 Lincoln Academy, No. 4 Medomak Valley and No. 5 Yarmouth had their shot at the Mariners in the regular season. No. 3 York (15-3, 5-2 vs. Class A teams) gets its chance to play spoiler.

3. Gorham vs. Scarborough in the AA South final. The players on the Rams’ roster, a talented bunch led by 1,000-point scorer Ashton Leclerc, have never won a playoff game. Last year a 13-5 Gorham team lost at home, at the buzzer, to Scarborough in the quarterfinals.

STORY LINES TO FOLLOW

Will the players from Windham and Gorham, with zero experience at the Cross Insurance Arena, be able to shed the nerves, find the shooting range, and play up to their top seeds? Can perennial large-school doormat Noble, 14-4 in its first year in Class A, win a neutral-site playoff game, likely its first? Will Oceanside star senior guard Carter Galley further burnish his Mr. Maine Basketball credentials? We say yes. At the Augusta Civic Center, can the Waynflete boys, who quietly put together a 14-4 season, be a title threat?

THE REGIONAL CHAMPS WILL BE:

AA North, Windham: The Eagles soar from the No. 1 seed.

AA South, Gorham: The Rams have too much firepower.

A South, Falmouth: The Navigators are more dynamic and diverse than their past two regional champs.

B South, Oceanside: The Mariners are on a Gold Ball mission.

C South, Monmouth Academy: The Mustangs avenge a regular-season loss to No. 1 Mt. Abram.

D South, Valley: The boys (and girls, they’re good too) from Bingham will celebrate.

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