The postseason began with a bang Tuesday evening as the preliminary round saw teams fighting for the right to play at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The Houlton and Southern Aroostook girls and boys squads punched their ticket directly to Bangor and will avoid having to play a preliminary playoff game. The Katahdin and East Grand girls and Hodgdon boys are taking the more difficult route by having to win a prelim game to make the trip to the Cross Insurance Center.
Watching the games will be a bit more difficult as for the first time in decades, Maine Public Broadcasting Network will not be airing the tournament. Instead, viewers will have to turn to their computers or devices to watch the games online.
The quarterfinal round will only be available online from the NFHS Network — http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/ — and is on a pay-per-view basis. Northeast Sports Network will stream, for free, the semifinals and regional finals on their site http://www.nsnsports.net/.
MPBN will broadcast the state championship games on television and the internet — www.mpbn.net.
WHOU-FM will broadcast all games involving County teams on the radio only.
The following is a preview of playoff pairings involving local teams:
No. 7 Katahdin girls (9-9) vs. No. 10 East Grand/GHCA (8-10) — At Stacyville Feb. 9 in a preliminary playoff, the Vikings and Cougars met for the first time on the season. The two teams faced a number of common opponents on the season, but did not actually meet this year.
The winner of this game moved on to face No. 2 Washburn, 9:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 in the quarterfinals.
“We are very excited about our prelim game,” Katahdin coach Jona Fitzpatrick said. “We have worked very hard this season and faced some very tough competition. Our schedule was tough, a lot of C teams. I think it has made us better, and ready to face our next game. This is the time of year when you work to fine tune the little things. The girls have wanted this chance all season long, and a prelim is that added chance to have your team be able to advance to the Cross Center for the tournament.”
Although Katahdin and East Grand did not play each other during the regular season this year, the two teams have faced each other in the past.
“I think it is helpful in preparing to have played a team before,” Fitzpatrick said. “You see their strengths, the kind of game they like to play, both offensively and defensively. I think it is always difficult to fully prepare, in the post season, a team can look different.”
Fitzpatrick knows full well that playoff basketball has a much different vibe.
“When it comes to this time of year anything can happen,” she said. “I feel that when you step to that floor on the night of a prelim or tourney game as a player, you have to be prepared to play 32 minutes of good solid defense pressuring the ball, and rebound well, limit fouls and turnovers and the game will be won. Defense and rebounding wins championships.”
No. 10 Narraguagus (7-10) at No. 7 Hodgdon boys (10-8) — At home Wednesday, 6 p.m. in a preliminary playoff, the Hawks will look to continue their trend of making an appearance on the hardwood in Bangor. Hodgdon did not play Narraguagus on the year, making Wednesday’s game a battle of unknown commodities for coach Rob Smith.
“We have one common opponent in Shead,” Smith said. “We split with Shead on the season and so did Narraguagus. They have 6-foot, 5-inch Brettin Dinsmore who is an inside and outside player. He will work the free throw line against a zone and will float outside to take threes. The offense seems to run through him.
“They also have Hayden Pineo and Drew Fletcher that control the ball handling. Noah Ramsdell is 6-foot and will work the baseline against a zone and Cameron Rumery will work the wing against a zone,” he continued. “This team crashes the offensive boards well and are looking to score on second chances if given to them.”
Defensively, the Hawks are likely to see Narraguagus employ a 1-2-2 zone and some man-to-man coverage.
“With their big guy on the strong block it could make it hard to drive to the hoop,” Smith said. “When they are in man he stays in the paint and looks to help and alter shots on drives.”
To be successful, the Hawks will have to limit their second chances by controlling the boards on defense.
“For us on defense we need to put pressure on the ball,” Smith said. “You may see us switch and throw a lot of different looks on defense at this team. On offense we will work away from Dinsmore and when we drive will have to look for the open man if he comes to help. We will have to take advantage of open looks and attack the high post more than we have in past games.”
If Hodgdon wins, it will play No. 2 Fort Fairfield in the quarterfinals, 8:35 p.m. Tuesday.
No. 6 Central Aroostook (10-8) at No. 3 Southern Aroostook boys (14-4) — At Bangor in the quarterfinals, Monday, Feb. 13 at 9:30 a.m., the Panthers and Warriors will meet for the third time on the season.
The Warriors romped to a 78-45 season-opening road victory over CAHS and rolled to an 82-48 victory over the Panthers later on in the year at home.
SACS has two 1,000-point scorers in juniors Nolan Altvater and Jackson Mathers, but will need to have more than just a two-man show if they hope to have a lengthy postseason run.
No. 1 Houlton girls (17-1) vs. winner of No. 8 Foxcroft Academy-No. 9 Central — At Bangor Saturday at 3:05 p.m. in the quarterfinals, the Shires will look to continue their hot play in the hopes of winning their second state championship in as many years.
Houlton beat Central, 63-34, and defeated Foxcroft Academy, 53-41, during the regular season as they faced each team just once.
“I don’t necessarily feel there are any advantages of heading into the tournament as the top seed,” Houlton coach Shawn Graham said. “I think the main goal is to finish in the top four as a whole and avoid a preliminary round game. Each team in the tournament this year will be from the Big East (conference) except for Winslow, which means we have played them all at least once.”
Preparation for the Shires this week included a trip to Hampden Academy Monday for a scrimmage, a scout day on Tuesday, and attending the Foxcroft/Central prelim game. Wednesday, the Shires will practice with Southern Aroostook and spend some time working on areas that both teams feel will help prepare them for the next opponent.
No. 1 Southern Aroostook girls (13-5) vs. No. 8 Wisdom-No. 9 Easton — At Bangor Monday, Feb. 15 at 3:35 p.m., the Warriors will meet the winner of the Wisdom-Easton contest in the quarterfinals. SACS beat Easton, 45-40 and 49-44, during the regular season. The Cougars did not play Wisdom during the regular season.
