Great players. Clutch plays.

They’re still vivid weeks after the basketball tournament.

Lanna Martin’s fadeaway jumper to give Calais the lead for good in the Class C state championship game. Danielle Clark’s relaxed free-throw shooting for Nokomis of Newport in the fourth quarter of the Class A title game despite her four fouls.

York’s Lani Boardman and Morse of Bath’s Katie Stailing hitting key 3-pointers, Greely of Cumberland Center’s Morgan DiPietro finding an open teammate.

Need a big shot? Big rebound? Someone to come up with a steal? Put the ball in the hands of one of those girls. They’re all team leaders and members of the 25th Bangor Daily News All-Maine girls basketball first team.

The ability to rise to the occasion, according to voters, was what made Clark, Martin, Boardman, Stailing, and DiPietro Maine’s finest.

The All-Maine team honors the state’s top 15 players, regardless of class, position, or region, as selected by the NEWS sports staff with input from coaches, officials, and other veteran basketball observers.

The members of this year’s second team are Melissa Gott of Mount Desert Island, Sarah Marquez of Orono, McAuley of Portland’s Sarah Marshall, Alison Smith of Bangor, and Gray-New Gloucester’s Katie Whittier.

The third-teamers are Amanda Leavitt of Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Ashley Marble of Woodland, Lawrence of Fairfield’s Erika Nickerson, McAuley’s Justine Pouravelis, and Chantal St. Laurent of Lewiston.

Four girls from last year’s team are back, including former first-teamer Stailing. Seven former honorable mention players jumped into the top 15. There are six underclassmen, all four Eastern Maine tourney MVPs, and at least one girl from each classification. Three seniors – Boardman, Stailing, and St. Laurent – will play at the Division I level next year. Only one senior, MDI’s Gott, has ever won a state title.

First team

BOARDMAN, who is headed to Vermont, can do everything a 6-foot forward should do inside, but she earned raves for her versatility. She showed a fine 3-point shot this year (28-for-60).

“She’s a relentless rebounder. She has a good knack for knowing where the ball is going to come off the rim,” Greely coach Jim Seavey said. “And she added 3-point range to her game and that made her that much tougher to defend.”

Boardman finished her career as a Miss Basketball finalist and the Robert Butler Award winner as the Western Maine Conference’s MVP. She wrapped up York career highs in points (1,413) and rebounds (1,111) for both girls and boys. This year she averaged 3.6 blocks per game and has 299 in her career.

“She’s an intimidator,” Seavey added. “She’s gonna look to block a lot of shots and right away that makes her a good defender.”

One of two sophomores on the All-Maine team this year, CLARK was unstoppable in Big East Conference play and through the Warriors’ undefeated run to the Class A state title. She was named the Eastern Maine Class A MVP and all- conference in the Big East.

“She could be one of the best players ever to come out of the state,” Bangor coach Tom Tennett said. “She’s very strong, but as the season went along, she started to face the basket and make some jump shots.”

One of Clark’s big strengths is her finishing ability despite the constant double-teams. She also contributed 2.1 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 2.4 assists per game.

“Her up-and-under is the best around,” MCI coach Frank McGrady said. “She finishes all the time.”

Miss Maine Basketball winner DiPIETRO will play for Division II power Bentley College. She was a third-teamer last year and the left-handed forward earned a Western Maine Conference first-team nod.

DiPietro has the lowest point average of the first-teamers, but Western Maine coaches who had to face the Rangers know why.

“They asked her to do different things this year and I think she sacrificed her own personal stats for the team,” said York coach Rick Clark. “You know they’ll go to her. Last year she beat us all by herself and we had three girls on her. All the great players have the ability to take over.”

Like other first-teamers, DiPietro has wide-ranging skills.

“She can handle the ball, take it to the basket, shoot the 3. I think she’s more refined [than other players],” South Portland coach Mike Giordano said. “She’s very quick and strong, she can defend the post and the perimeter.”

Watching the Class C final you just knew that MARTIN would get the ball at the end. An honorable mention in her freshman and sophomore seasons, the guard-forward was named the EM Class C tourney MVP for the second time in her three-year career.

“I was really impressed with how a kid like that could maintain a presence and an even keel,” Erskine of South China coach Scott Corey said of Martin’s effort in the Class C state game. “I think that was the difference in the game.”

What didn’t the 5-7 Martin do for Calais? She handled the ball, ran the offense, rebounded, and played tough defense on much taller players. In addition to her scoring and rebounding, she averaged 6.2 steals per game.

“When [Dirigo] guarded her, they couldn’t push her back on her heels,” Woodland coach Arnie Clark said. “Dirigo didn’t have anyone who could match up with her strength. They didn’t have anyone strong enough to make her pick up her dribble.”

STAILING, the third Miss Basketball finalist, is headed to Rhode Island. The KVAC Co-Player of the Year is the only returning first-teamer from last year.

Stailing also averaged four assists, four steals, and two blocks per game for the Shipbuilders. She closed her career as the school’s career points leader (1,593).

“She’s an unbelievable passer and she makes the kids around her better,” Lawrence coach Jim Richards said. “She’s a tough competitor. She has a good handle on the basketball and she’s a good offensive rebounder.”

Like Boardman, Stailing is a tough matchup – she can play inside (10.3 rebounds, 2 blocks per game) and outside (27 3-pointers).

“I’m impressed with the improvement of her play from the perimeter,” South Portland coach Mike Giordano said. “She made that team go. Every time they needed something big they went to her.”

Second team

GOTT earned plenty of individual honors along with the Class B state title this year, including Penobscot Valley Conference first team and the EM Class B tourney MVP award despite early ankle injuries. She used her 6-1 size and strength to maneuver under the basket, and showed off a fine mid-range jumper and post defense. She also averaged 2.8 steals per game.

“She plays a very physical game,” Orono coach Steve Gardner said. “She understands how to get position inside. She really took advantage of her strength and bulk. … Keeping her off the offensive boards is a feat in itself.”

MARQUEZ, who is still deciding on college (Colby and Bates are in the mix), was at her best in pressure situations. The PVC Player of the Year, she averaged six assists per game. Marquez also shot an accurate 40 percent from 3-point range and was a 79 percent free-throw shooter – another reason she got the ball in crunch time.

“She was pretty much responsible for a 17-point swing in six minutes, but she did cool off,” MDI coach Burt Barker said of Marquez’ effort in a tourney quarterfinal game. “We didn’t stop her, she just cooled off, and even the hottest players have to cool off at some point. I think she’s Miss Basketball in my book.”

MARSHALL’S decision to transfer from Falmouth to McAuley in Portland may have been the biggest reason the Lions won their second Western Maine Class A title in a row. The point guard, already a polished ballhandler as a sophomore, led McAuley in scoring, assists (6.4 per game), and steals (4).

“Sarah is quite a player,” said South Portland coach Mike Giordano. “She sees the floor as well as anyone I’ve seen in the past 5-6 years. She’s a very well-rounded player.”

On a Bangor team whose tallest player was primarily a 3-point shooter, 5-9 SMITH had to go up against much bigger players inside. The Bowdoin-bound forward led the Rams in scoring and was the Big East Conference Player of the Year and Gatorade Maine Player of the Year. Smith was a 78.6 percent free-throw shooter and shot 53.5 percent from the floor.

“She plays with tremendous intensity and she never lets up. I think that’s her biggest asset,” Nokomis coach Earl Anderson said. “She’s just relentless, especially on the boards. She’s one of the best rebounders in Eastern Maine. … I always thought she was their best defender. I love her competitiveness.”

WHITTIER, a junior, has already made a verbal commitment to play for UMaine. The WMC first-teamer led the Patriots to their first regional title with tourney wins over Greely with DiPietro and York with Boardman. She upped her output in the WM tourney, averaging 23 points in three games.

At 6-2 Whittier is the tallest All-Mainer. She averaged 4.3 blocks per game.

“She was an intimidator, just by her presence,” said York’s Clark. “It changed the way you approached the game. It forced you to go outside and depend on your outside game. … She’s a streak shooter. When she gets hot she can score some points.”

Third team

The MCI girls made only two Bangor Auditorium appearances in LEAVITT’s four years, but her superb ballhandling skills and long range (remember that buzzer-beating three-quarter-court shot in the quarterfinals this year?) were known statewide. Leavitt was the KVAC Class B Player of the Year and will play at USM.

“In my opinion she’s the best player off the dribble in the state,” Erskine’s Corey said. “She’s so smooth offensively and she’s accurate from 23-24 feet. She’s a very, very good shooter.”

Woodland’s MARBLE is one of the most athletic and explosive players in the state – her backcourt steals led to plenty of easy buckets for the Dragons. She was named the EM Class D tourney MVP and a DAC all-star. Besides leading the Dragons in scoring, she also racked up highs in steals (3.7) and assists (3.1).

“Her ability to take over a game and lead a team, she did that as well as any player I saw all year,” Brewer coach Tim Thornton said. “She’s just a heady ball player.”

Voters considered NICKERSON one of the top post players in the state. She was the KVAC co-Player of the Year with Stailing and is considering going to either Bates or Bowdoin. The four-year starter is also the Lawrence valedictorian.

“Early in the season their guard play wasn’t that strong and Erika had to do everything,” Bangor’s Tennett said. “She’s a good player who carried her team.”

It’s no coincidence that as POURAVELIS has been one of the SMAA’s dominant players, McAuley has become one of the top teams in the state. The junior shot a stellar 61 percent from the field and averaged 2.5 blocks per game.

“She can shoot, she can rebound, she can play outside and go inside,” Lewiston coach Paul Cote said. “Against us she really took over the game [80-77 in OT in the regular season], mostly in the overtime.”

A third-teamer last year, ST. LAURENT continued to dominate point guard play in Western Maine. She’ll take her skills and stats (including a league-leading 6.9 assists and 6.4 steals per game) to Div. I Lehigh next year. St. Laurent is considered one of Maine’s quickest players.

“She’s probably the quickest kid in our league,” Giordano said. “She passes the ball very well. She can slash to the basket and can shoot the ‘3’. She can score when she needs to but she looks to pass.”

25th ALL-MAINE TEAM

First Team

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

C-F Lani Boardman York Sr. 6-0 20.7 13.9

F Danielle Clark Nokomis So. 6-0 20.1 10.2

G-F Morgan DiPietro Greely Sr. 5-9 12.1 7.3

G-F Lanna Martin Calais Jr. 5-7 17.7 11.0

G-F Katie Stailing Morse Sr. 6-0 19.8 10.3

Second Team

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

C-F Melissa Gott MDI Sr. 6-1 14.9 10.0

G Sarah Marquez Orono Sr. 5-9 19.0 6.5

G Sarah Marshall McAuley So. 5-7 17.4 2.0

F Alison Smith Bangor Sr. 5-9 19.4 10.2

F Katie Whittier Gray-New Gloucester Jr. 6-2 16.0 13.0*

Third Team

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

G Amanda Leavitt MCI Sr. 5-6 20.4 3.0

F Ashley Marble Woodland Jr. 5-9 19.0 4.4

C-FErika Nickerson Lawrence Sr. 6-0 23.6 14.7

F Justine Pouravelis McAuley Jr. 5-11 16.3 8.0

G Chantal St.Laurent Lewiston Sr. 5-6 12.8 5.7

Honorable Mention: Ashley Bossie (Kennebunk), Cassie Carver (Mattanawcook), Donna Cowing (Erskine), Sarah DeLuca (Gray-New Gloucester), Jlynn Frazier (Bangor), Katie Frost (Calais), Michele Gagnon (Dirigo), Amy Kelley (Foxcroft), Julia Knights (Woodland), Kate LaHaye (Belfast), Laura Pelkey (Nokomis), Sara Ricker (Shead), Bethany Rodrigue (Winslow), Hannah Socoby (Houlton), Meghan Myles (Edward Little), Karen Sirois (Cony), Heather Taylor (Lincoln Academy), Megan Tetrault (Deering), Ashley Underwood (Cony), Lauren Withey (Camden Hills)

*regular-season statistics

The first Bangor Daily NEWS All-Maine girls team was selected in 1977. The members of that inaugural team were:

First Team: Jeanne White, South Portland; Cindy Rand, Hampden; Karen Schwarz, South Portland; Jill Pingree, Mt. Blue; Shirley Averill, Bangor

Second Team: Kelly Kimball, Lake Region; Monica Martin, Van Buren; Debbie DiConzo, Dirigo; Joan Leavitt, Hermon; Karen Downes, Bangor

Third Team: Mari Warner, Thornton Academy; Kim York, McAuley; Karen Nadeau, Wisdom; Cathy Swift, South Portland; Brenda Beckwith, Lawrence