Marble, Martin among Miss Basketball finalists Georges Valley’s Magnusson vies for boys award

BANGOR – Ashley Marble won’t be playing in the McDonald’s C/D senior all-star game March 23. But that’s OK with the Woodland senior star. Her Dragons won the Class D state championship, and she’s a finalist for Miss Maine Basketball, the top honor for the state’s senior girls basketball players.

Marble, fellow Miss Maine finalist Lanna Martin of Calais and Mr. Maine finalist Travis Magnusson of Georges Valley High in Thomaston were on hand as the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches’ senior all-star teams, all-academic teams, and free-throw shooting champions were announced Thursday afternoon at Husson College’s Hall of Fame room.

Edward Little of Auburn’s Meghan Myles is the third Miss Basketball finalist. Aaron Spaulding of Cape Elizabeth and Deering of Portland’s Nik Caner-Medley are also Mr. Basketball finalists.

The Mr. and Miss Maine Basketball winners will be announced at the Maine McDonald’s banquet Friday, March 22 beginning at 7 p.m.

The all-star games featuring the Eastern Maine teams against the Western Maine teams will be played Saturday, March 23 at Husson’s Newman Gym. The C/D girls game starts at 10 a.m., followed by the C/D boys at 11:25 a.m., the A/B girls at 12:50 p.m. and the A/B boys at 2:15 p.m.

More than 80 schools are represented on the all-star, academic and free-throw teams, with 77 basketball players receiving honors.

Mr. and Miss Maine Basketball are chosen based on nominations by coaches around the state. The list is culled to the top 10 girls and boys based on the number of ballots. A five-member committee of media members and former coaches, one for boys and one for girls, then picks the top three of each gender.

The Mr. Basketball semifinalists were Magnusson, Caner-Medley, Spaulding, Dan Hammond (Brunswick), Tyler Putnam (Hodgdon), Jason Harvey (Bucksport), Nick Casavant (Presque Isle), Trafton Teague (Lawrence), Walter Phillips (Deering), and Trenton Estes (Nokomis).

Miss Basketball semifinalists were Myles, Martin, Marble, Katie Whittier (Gray-New Gloucester), Bethany Roderigue (Winslow), Katie Frost (Calais), Donna Cowing (Erskine), Justine Pouravelis (McAuley), Megan Russell (Penquis) and Tiffany Jones (Skowhegan).

Marble, who is headed to the University of Maine on a volleyball scholarship, said there was a mix up at the school, and the ballot for the senior all-stars was not sent in by the deadline.

But Marble is still a Miss Maine finalist because coaches cannot nominate their own players for Mr. and Miss Basketball, whereas coaches are responsible for nominating their players for the all-star teams.

Marble would have liked the chance to play with Martin, as the two schools are heated rivals, but she’ll likely still go to the game.

“Really, I’m just honored to be here,” she said. “I never expected to get nominated for this, especially coming from Class D.”

Marble is the first Class D player to be a Miss Basketball finalist since Sandi Carver of Jonesport-Beals in 1994.

In fact, finalists from Classes C and D schools like Calais, Georges Valley and Woodland have been rare over the years. Central of Corinth’s Ryan Rivera (1999) was the last boy to be nominated in Class C; Jen Tulley of Old Orchard Beach and Dirigo of Dixfield’s Niki Dominiczak (1998) were the last girls from Class C.

Martin said the practices so far are more like hanging out with friends than working on basketball. She already knows Calais teammates Morgan Drew and Katie Frost, who played AAU basketball with April Allen and Megan Russell of Dexter. Martin’s close friends Deidra Ham of Lee and Meghan Marshall of Madawaska are also on the team, and she has played against Narraguagus of Harrington’s Sarah Snider.

“Last night coach had to tell us to shut up because we were all talking and laughing,” said Martin, who was also named to the girls all-academic team and is headed to Division II St. Anselm (N.H.).

Jeff Hart, the Camden Hills boys coach and the Eastern vice president of the MABC, said he was pleased Magnusson is a finalist. The Buccaneer guard is still undecided about college.

“He’s really brought the whole [Georges Valley] program up and made the other players a lot better,” said A/B East boys co-coach Hart, whose Windjammers won the Class B state title. “He’s such a nice young man.”

This is the 22nd year of the MABC senior all-star teams. Gary Eckmann, treasurer of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, said last year’s banquet and games netted $17,000, the most ever in 14 years of McDonald’s sponsorship.