The best senior high school basketball players in Maine will take center court at the Augusta Civic Center on Friday night.

On this occasion, they will be uniformed in dress attire rather than shorts as they are honored at the McDonald’s East-West Senior All-Star banquet. The doors open at 6:30 p.m., with festivities scheduled to begin at 7:30.

The Bangor Daily News will be taking photographs of all all-star players prior to the meal. All-Stars will be asked to report to the NEWS photographer upon arrival at the Civic Center.

The event, which serves as the formal awards ceremony for players selected to compete in Saturday’s McDonald’s East-West Senior All-Star Games, is sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants of Maine and Eastern New Hampshire, the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches, and Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England.

In all, 40 players named to the All-Star teams, 20 Academic All-Stars and the eight finalists in the state free throw shooting compeition will be honored for their efforts during the 1989-90 basketball season. The MABC will also announce its Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball awards, given to the top senior players in the state.

Former Caribou High basketball coach Gerry Duffy will be recognized as the recipient of the MABC Contributor Award, given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding, longtime contribution to basketball in the state of Maine.

Dr. Richard Costello, the athletic director at the University of Southern Maine and a former college basketball coach, will be the featured speaker. In 1987, Costello became the first coach in the nation to record 200 wins each coaching men’s and women’s basketball.

Saturday’s East-West Senior All-Star Games will bring together the elite senior basketball players in Maine in one hoop extravaganza.

Selected by a vote of the state’s high school coaches, the senior stars are grouped together into teams made up of players in Classes A and B, and those who played at Classes C and D schools. The A-B stars from the East will play the A-B standouts from the West, with the C-D teams also defending the bragging rights of their respective regions, their schools and themselves.

The action begins at noon in the Augusta Civic Center with the C-D girls matchup. The C-D boys will follow at 1:45 p.m. In the evening session, the A-B girls play at 5:30, before the A-B boys close out the festivities at 7:15.

Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children under 12. Tickets, which are available at the door, at good for two A-B games or two C-D contests.

Proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities of Maine.