Maggie Sabine is an all-star forward for the Oak Hill girls’ basketball. After graduating some key veterans in 2009, Sabine’s been left to carry the load for the Raiders.

WALES — Maggie Sabine probably knew the “but” was coming.

In an early conversation with her new coach at Oak Hill, Sabine was given high praise, but the standout forward was receiving more than just compliments. Tom Morong followed his positive impressions with criticism. Those words set the tone for Sabine’s season from the outset.

“He told me I was the best athlete he had ever coached physically,” Sabine said. “But that I had a lot to work on mentally.

“There are points in a game where I’ll make a boneheaded pass. Physically, I’m there. I just have to get there mentally. My goal this year has been to really work on that.”

Morong had his share of talented players during a 20-year tenure at Morse. That included Miss Basketball finalist Jill Henrikson, now a standout at Bowdoin.  His arrival was an adjustment for Sabine, but it didn’t take long for her to receive the challenge she needed.

“I liked it because I like honesty,” she said. “I like a challenge too. I want to improve and be challenged. It really gave me some momentum to work toward that.”

Sabine has been playing basketball since she was in second grade. She has excellent skills and great athleticism. She has all the makings of a very good player in high school without even trying,  but she’s always pushing herself to be a great player. She doesn’t just rely on the gifts she has; she tries to maximize them. With a college career in her future, she’s fine-tuning her game.

“I really wanted to step up my defense because I really haven’t worked as hard as I should on that,” Sabine said.  “And, my perimeter play. I plan on playing in college, and I’m not going to be a post player. So I’m really trying to work on ball skills and stuff.”

Though Sabine can be a strong presence inside at the high school level, she plays a variety of roles for the Raiders, thanks to her ability to handle the ball and see the floor. She’s currently among the leaders in the KVAC B by averaging 17 points per game and 10 rebounds.

“In one quarter, I play point and post, and it’s really diverse,” she said. “It’s something I have to adjust to, but I like diversity. It gives me a challenge. It makes me work harder to push myself and try different things.”

Sabine has been a player to watch in the KVAC for two seasons. After the Raiders lost key talent from last year’s club, it put the onus on their junior all-star. A new coach only added to the transition feel of the early season. Sabine was unsure of her role and what to expect, but soon felt comfortable with the new coach and what he had in mind for her.

“He made it clear to me that I just needed to play my game, and that takes a lot off of me,” she said. “Now I’m really just playing my game.”

It has allowed her to understand her role, feel confident in what she can do while trusting her teammates. Oak Hill lost four regulars to graduation and have just two seniors — Courtney Safford and Lynnae Chaput. There’s a solid core of juniors who Sabine feels comfortable with.

“We’ve been playing together since we were like in fourth grade,” Sabine said of Chaput, the point guard. “We’re losing two seniors this year but our junior class, there’s five of us that are really close.”

It has allowed Sabine to focus on improving her game. She knows she doesn’t need to play beyond herself. She has confidence in her game and in her teammates. Juniors Becka Lehotay and Abby Goulet and sophomore Darby Beaulieu are fellow starters and have helped the Raiders make progress as they gain more seasoning. It has allowed Sabine to share the load.

“I’ve just cut down on turnovers and making stupid passes,” she said. “I don’t have to be the hero on the floor. I don’t have to force passes. I can rely on my teammates.”

The Raiders pushed Winslow, ranked first in Eastern A, last week and lost a nail-biter in overtime. Sabine had an outstanding game, but the play of the team around her only helped that effort. Oak Hill (5-7) is currently ninth in Western B.

“My team really picks me up,” she said. “I can really rely on my team to be there for me and to support me.”

Sabine is already building an impressive resume to present during her college search, but her basketball accolades are just part of the equation. She’s also an all-star goaltender. Though she hasn’t really begun the college search yet, she’d like to find a school where she could play both basketball and soccer.

“I love playing keeper,” she said. “I’m definitely looking for soccer, too, because I like to be out on the open field.”