Second in a series of previews about Eastern Maine’s promising high school basketball teams for the 1995-96 season.

The 1994-95 high school basketball season is shaping up as one in which many of the Class B tournament teams may be very familiar to tournament aficianados. Most of the eight teams which traveled to the Bangor Auditorium last year appear to have enough talent back to make a return trip.

That seems to be the case with Dexter, Fort Kent, Hermon, John Bapst, and Orono.

But don’t count out Bucksport, Camden-Rockport, Mount Desert Island, Mount View of Thorndike, Rockland… get the idea? It’s going to be a wide-open Class B season.

Fort Kent may be one of the most talent-loaded teams in the class.

“This is athletic a group as I’ve ever had. We can play halfcourt, we can run, we can shoot. We have a lot of versatility,” said Fort Kent coach Larry Murphy.

Leading the Warriors are NEWS third team All-Maine selection guard Ryan Martin and power forward Corey Thibodeau.

The rest of the starting lineup should include 6-foot-4 center Matt Thibodeau, forward Jason Nadeau and possibly sophomore point guard Jon Lozier.

The problem is their schedule, which isn’t as tough as those of teams in the deep Class B League.

“There are a lot of points in the B League and that puts the pressure on us to win a whole lot of games just to get in,” said Murphy.

The John Bapst Crusaders seem to enjoy the same strength as Fort Kent: versatility.

“Probably athletically, this is one of the best talented squads we’ve had,” said coach Bob Cimbollek, who hinted he might open things up a bit this year. “We have more depth and speed and can change things around a little bit.”

With four of last season’s top six players back, Cimbollek expects to go eight or nine deep.

Returning veterans include senior guards Ryan Thomas, Randy Buswell, Matt Young, and Mike Aldrich, junior guard Jake Ward, and big men Geoff Halber (6-1) and Geoff Picard (6-6).

“I think we’ll be able to match up against any offense or defense,” Cimbollek said.

Orono returns much of the core of its 1994 Eastern finalist team.

The Red Riots’ strength lies in its experienced backcourt duo of senior Erik Poulsen and junior Robey Rhoads.

“He and Rhoads in the backcourt will pose problems for opponents,” said Orono coach David Paul.

The Riots main man offensively should be senior forward Aaron Gavett. Gavett and 1994 sixth man Jason White will team with Tim Ulrich, Erik Poulsen and newcomer Scott Cunningham to form Orono’s ’95 nucleus.

“I don’t think we’re going to be a team that can look to pound it inside all night,” said Paul. “We’re going to have to find a way to stop teams inside and find the open man on offense.”

Not unlike the other preseason favorites, Hermon returns much of its scoring punch from last season.

Head coach Clayton Blood says 6-1 junior guard Steve Tweedie could be one of the best players in Eastern Maine. Senior forward Roman Bartlett and center Ken Peterson, and junior guard Justin Perry give the Hawks a rare team strength: height.

“We have some size for a change,” Blood agreed. “We’re not as fast as we’ve been in the past, but we’re more physical.”

“We have a lot of depth, but team chemistry is the big unknown and we have no experience at point guard,” Blood said.

The Hawks will find out how good they could be early as they open with 1994 EM semifinalist Dexter.

The Dexter Tigers lost six seniors and a lot of experience, but they return All-Maine honorable mention center Brad Olson.

Still, coach Peter Murray says don’t expect Dexter to be a one-man show this season.

“We’ll probably go eight deep,” said Murray. “We have a good inside game and perimeter shooting to make people pay for doubling Brad.”

The Tigers’ starting five will probably include guards Brad Sherwood and James Kirk, forwards Chuck Moninski and Aaron Sargent, and Olson. Josh Annis will also log lots of minutes.

Traditionally, an aggressive, man-to-man team, a lack of speed and plenty of height may force Dexter to go the zone and halfcourt route more often.