STACYVILLE, Maine — One year after experiencing what it was like to play on the big stage in Bangor, the Katahdin boys basketball team is hungry for a repeat performance.
Greg Bivighouse takes over the Cougar boys program this year from Chris Cloukey, who guided the team for just one season. Cloukey, however, will still be involved as a volunteer for parts of the season.
Although in his first year as a varsity coach, Bivighouse has extensive experience coaching junior varsity and travel league basketball teams over the years. In fact, he coached many of the current players on the Katahdin roster during their peewee years.
“I am really looking forward to this year,” the coach said. “We should be a very competitive team, and I could not have a better group of young men.”
The Cougars experienced a solid amount of success last year, finishing with a 9-9 regular season record, which placed the team seventh in Class D North. Katahdin defeated Washburn, 48-34, in a preliminary playoff, earning an opportunity to play at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Katahdin fell to No. 1 Southern Aroostook, 81-39, in the quarterfinals.
The team lost Justin Hurlbert, DaQuan Lindsey and Bradley Bailey to graduation, but have plenty of newcomers ready to fill their void.
Katahdin has a bundle of returning players, and has exceptional size and depth for a Class D squad which could bode well for a solid, all-around season.
“My goal for the team is for us to be better in each and every game we play this season,” Bivighouse said. “Hopefully, by the end of the season, we will be playing some of our best basketball.”
Members of the 2022-23 roster are seniors Grady Ritchie (5-foot, 9-inch guard); Kyle McNally (6-3 forward); and Jeff Martin (6-3 forward); juniors Josiah Rodgerson (5-11 guard), Kaden Lane (5-11 shooting guard); sophomores Connor Edwards (6-0 guard), Josh Martin (6-3 shooting guard), Sam Boone (5-10 guard), Kaden Delano (5-11 forward), Wesley Pipes (5-7 guard), Chandler Smith (5-7 guard), Kain McNally (5-7 guard) and Conlin McNally (5-7 guard); and freshmen Calvin Richardson (5-8 guard), Jacob Hurlbert (6-1 center), Matthew Kiem (5-10 guard) and Michael Ashburn (5-10 guard).
Ritchie is the team’s highest returning scorer, having poured in 253 points last season. Kyle McNally had 96 points and was second on the team in rebounding with 59 boards. Jeff Martin was a strong all-around player contributing 122 points and 83 rebounds, using his size to his advantage.
Pipes is the team’s best free throw shooter, finishing with a perfect 100 percent in both junior varsity and varsity play last year. Lane and Edwards are the team’s next best free throw shooters, averaging 75 percent a season ago.
Working on the team’s mid-range shooting skills, reading the floor and developing off-the-ball skills are among the three areas he hopes his team will improve upon as the year progresses.
“I am also a firm believer in strong defense,” Bivighouse said. “This team has the speed and ability to play rugged defense on both ends of the floor every night.”
The coach said he did not have a “starting five” that will be locked in for the season. Because of the team’s depth, Bivighouse feels he has a solid eight players who could serve as starters any given night, depending on the matchup.
“These guys are all very athletic from top to bottom,” he said. “This is a very balanced team, and the attitude they bring is a coach’s dream. They are just a great group of young men and I am looking forward to this season.”
The coach added he expects defending state champ Southern Aroostook and perennial contender Schenck to be among the top squads in Class D North this season.
