CLASS C GIRLS

WHO: Hall-Dale (18-3) vs. Penobscot Valley (21-0)
WHEN: 7:05 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN

KEY PLAYERS: Hall-Dale — Torie Tibbetts, sr., G (12.7 points per game during playoffs); Jade Graham, sr., F (13.3 ppg during playoffs); Marie Benoit, sr., G/F (9.3 ppg during playoffs); Lucy Gray, sr., G/F (6.3 ppg during playoffs); Sierra Gibbons, jr., G (12.3 ppg during playoffs); Penobscot Valley — Ellie Austin, sr., G (16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds); Rylee Moulton, jr., G (19.2 points, 5.5 assists, 5.1 steals); Lila Cummings, jr., F (11.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.6 steals); Brooklynn Raymond, so., G (16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists)

OUTLOOK: Hall-Dale is the more experienced team entering this Class C final. This will be the Bulldogs’ third state final in four years. The won the Gold Ball in 2022. This group of seniors — Tibbetts, Graham, Benoit and Gray — has also won three Class C titles in softball. If there’s a word to describe Hall-Dale’s run this season, it would be perseverance. At one point, mostly because of injuries, the Bulldogs were down to six available players. Offensively, the scoring has been well-rounded, particularly in the playoffs. Tibbetts can do a bit of everything, offensively and defensively. Graham is a solid presence in the post, who can knock down the occasional 3-pointer. Benoit and Gray are good defenders who can pull down rebounds in the post and provide offense when needed. … Penobscot Valley has played nearly flawless basketball this season. The Howlers are averaging 75.3 points per game. Just as impressive, they are allowing only 24.7 points per game. Their average margin of victory in the North regional was 38.3 points. In an 86-26 semifinal win over Calais on Feb. 20, the Howlers broke three 3-point records in the C North tournament. Moulton is the Howlers’ leading scorer, but every player in the starting five is averaging double-digit points. Austin and Cummings are Penobscot Valley’s top rebounders.

— Dave Dyer

CLASS C BOYS

WHO: Mt. Abram (20-1) vs. Mattanawcook Academy (21-0)
WHEN: 8:45 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
TV: MPBN

KEY PLAYERS: Mt. Abram — Bryce Wilcox, sr., G (All-MVC first team); Reagan Lockaby, sr., C (11.7 points, 7.7 rebounds in playoffs); Killian Pillsbury, jr., G (All-MVC second team); Brennan Mitchell, so. (All-MVC second team), F. Mattanawcook — Andrew Oliver, jr., F (17.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists); Kooper McCarthy, so., G (15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.8 rebounds); Avery Jordan, jr., G (13.8 points); James Trott, sr., F (11.2 points)

OUTLOOK: If you like fast-paced, high-octane basketball, this is the game for you. No team  in the state is averaging more points than Mattanawcook’s 77.1, but it’s the way the Lynx do it — a balanced dose of Oliver, McCarthy, Jordan and Trott — that makes them particularly dangerous. Mt. Abram, meanwhile, has two athletic big men in Lockaby (6-5) and Mitchell (6-4), and the shooting of Pillsbury and Wilcox at guard is the perfect complement to the Roadrunners’ post presence. One of these two programs is guaranteed take home a Gold Ball for the first time; Mt. Abram has never played in a state championship game, while Mattanawcook is playing in one for the first time since 1956. The teams share one common opponent, Mount View, with the Lynx taking down the Mustangs 51-46 in the Class C North quarterfinals and the Roadrunners defeating them 68-63 in December.

– Mike Mandell