Several times during Monday night’s Eastern Maine Class A championship game, Bangor fans chanted “Mr. Basketball” after senior forward-center Joe Campbell scored a basket or grabbed a key rebound.

While certainly a strong candidate for the award presented annually to Maine’s top senior ballplayer, it will be awhile before he finds out if he wins it, or even if he’s a finalist. What he won’t have to wait for, however, is the William C. Warner Award, presented annually to the most valuable schoolboy player in each of the four Eastern Maine regional tourneys.

The 6-foot-5 Campbell was a unanimous choice as MVP after averaging 18.7 points, 17.7 rebounds, one assist, three steals, and three blocked shots in his three tournament games while leading Bangor to its second straight regional title and sixth in the last 10 years.

“Joe is Joe. You sometimes get spoiled having him on the team because he plays so well, day in and day out,” said Bangor coach Roger Reed. “Sometimes you have to remember he’s just a high school senior.”

A high school senior who is making his second straight appearance on the NEWS All-Tournament team. Joining Campbell are fellow two-time East title game participant and senior forward Matthiah Larkin of Skowhegan, Rams senior guard Joe Vanidestine, Nokomis of Newport sophomore guard Ryan McLellan, and Caribou teammates junior guard-forward Joel Griffeth and senior center-forward James Sam.

Campbell was the lone unanimous selection on the team as the voting, conducted among tournament and Maine Principals’ Association officials and media members, was very close, necessitating an extra player slot on the team.

The Warner Award is named for former NEWS sports editor Bill Warner, who held the post 16 years and worked at the paper for 36 years prior to his death in 1994. This is the eighth year of the award.

Larkin was a steadying force for the Indians, as he averaged 11 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Vanidestine averaged 15.3 points and four rebounds per game and came up with 18 points in Bangor’s one-point win over Skowhegan.

Griffeth was a decisive two-way presence in both of Caribou’s tourney games as he excelled at guarding the other team’s best offensive player while averaging 15.5 points, 4.5 boards, and 2.5 steals per game.

Eastern Maine hoop fans got their first good look at McLellan has he scored 49 points in his two games while also totaling 10 boards and four steals.

Sam started out the tourney with a monster effort (29 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals) and finished with 13 points and 11 boards in Caribou’s semifinal loss.

NEWS All-Tournament Team

Eastern Maine Class A Boys

Joe Campbell,*** Bangor, 6-5 forward-center, senior; Matthiah Larkin, Skowhegan, 6-3 forward, senior; Joe Vanidestine, Bangor, 6-0 guard-forward, senior; Joel Griffeth, Caribou, 6-0 guard-forward, junior; Ryan McLellan, Nokomis, 5-9 guard, sophomore; James Sam, Caribou; 6-5 center-forward, senior

Honorable mention: Ryan Kelley and Sean Walker, Skowhegan; Zak Ray, Bangor

*** William C. Warner MVP Award winner