The basketball season is almost two weeks old, but three starters on Class B girls teams are already out with serious knee injuries.

Hermon’s Melissa Overlock and Lindsay Duplisea and Houlton’s Sam Berry all tore their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) during early-season games.

Overlock, who injured her right knee Dec. 13 in a game at Stearns of Millinocket, and Duplisea, who tore her left ACL in the Dec. 9 season-opener against Ellsworth, had their respective knees examined one after the other last week.

Hawks coach Don Erb is hoping with some rest, rehabilitation and a brace, both girls will both be back in time for the tournament, and possibly in three weeks.

Losing Duplisea and Overlock, two of the team’s top scorers and ball-handlers in their years at Hermon, could be devastating for the Hawks, and Erb said the team will have to find new go-to players on the floor.

But Erb was pleased with his team’s performance against Class A Hampden Tuesday, in which senior Jenny Buzzell scored a career-high 17 points.

“I don’t think she’s ever scored more than six … so that was nice to see,” he said.

While Overlock and Duplisea could make a comeback this season, Berry’s injury requires surgery and has effectively ended her high school basketball career.

The 5-foot-9 center tore her right ACL and strained another knee ligament while going for a layup during the first quarter of a Dec. 13 game against Calais.

“We’re starting all over again,” Houlton coach Jerry Tweedie said. “She was a big part of our offense, she was a rebounder. It’s definitely a big loss for us inside.”

Berry, an Eastern Maine Class B All-Tourney pick last year as the Shires’ sixth player, had started in three games this year before her injury.

“I feel bad for her. It’s her senior year,” Tweedie said. “It’s hard but the kids have picked up well.”

WSAG nominations open

The Institute for International Sport is accepting nominations for the third 2001 World Scholar-Athlete Games, which will be held June 22-July 1 in Kingston, R.I.

More than 2,000 high school athletes and artists from all over the country and internationally will compete in one sport (baseball, basketball, chess, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball are offered).

Artists will participate in fine arts, choir, culinary arts, dance, symphony, theater, and writing/poetry.

To nominate high-school scholars, call 1-800-THE-WSAG or check the Institute’s web site, www.internationalsport.com.