Versatility, leadership, talent, and flat-out performance.

These words are just a few of the best ones to use when trying to describe the members of the 47th Bangor Daily News All-Maine Schoolboy Basketball Team.

The lone returning member of the NEWS Dream Team is two-time first-teamer Nik Caner-Medley, a 6-foot-7 physical specimen from Deering of Portland. He’s joined by Brunswick guard-forward Ralph Mims, the only sophomore on the NEWS team; Mims’ teammate and Dragons senior captain Dan Hammond; and two guards who were honorable mentions last year: Bucksport’s Jason Harvey and Cape Elizabeth’s Aaron Spaulding.

There’s little room for non-seniors on the three five-member squads. The second team is the only other unit that has one as Bangor junior guard Zak Ray joins Georges Valley of Thomaston scoring machine Travis Magnusson, Deering swingman Walter Phillips, Hodgdon star Tyler Putnam, and Valley of Bingham big man Brian Andre.

The third team is made up entirely of senior frontcourt players Trafton Teague from Lawrence of Fairfield, Valley’s Luke Hartwell, Presque Isle’s Nick Casavant, Calais’ Joe Footer, and Gorham’s Kendrick Ballantyne.

Since 1956, the NEWS All-Maine team has honored the state’s top 15 players, regardless of position, grade, school, classification, or region. Selections are made by the NEWS sports staff with input and balloting by high school and college coaches and officials, sports media, and veteran hoop observers.

First Team

Caner-Medley was the All-Maine team’s leading vote-getter as he was named on 80 percent of all ballots, 65 percent of which had him ranked either first or second.

Maine’s Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year will play for defending NCAA national champ Maryland on an athletic (basketball) scholarship after leading Deering to back-to-back Southern Maine Activities Association and Western Maine Class A titles.

“You can’t stop him with one guy. He’s just so athletic and there aren’t too many 6-7 kids who do the things he does,” said Brunswick coach Todd Hanson. “He’s a complete package with shooting range of a 2 guard, size of a power forward, and quickness and athletic ability of a 3 man [small forward].”

Caner-Medley won every individual honor possible in the course of scoring 1,655 points in his four-year Rams career. The center-forward has great size along with the skills and quickness of a guard, making him a matchup nightmare.

“He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever coached against or seen,” said Bangor coach Roger Reed. “He’s explosive. On a given night, he could block eight to 10 shots and get 25 rebounds.”

If they weren’t already, people who saw Mims play in the Eastern Maine Class A regionals came away totally impressed.

“He’s almost more dangerous after a shot than he is shooting because nobody follows his shot better,” said Reed. “I thought he matured emotionally this year, too. He didn’t force things and let the game come to him…. And he took the game over when he had to.”

The sophomore guard-forward upped his per-game scoring average from 17.2 points in the regular season to 26.3 in the playoffs. He also averaged 4.6 steals and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 59 percent from 2-point range, 42 percent from 3-point range, and 78 percent from the foul line and was named Eastern Class A tournament MVP.

“We rarely tried to make him dribble penetrate because I almost think it’s better for him to make the hoop,” said Deering coach Mike Franoeur. “If he doesn’t, he usually gets the rebound and then you have a hoop and a foul on us.”

Mims was named on 84.8 percent of the ballots, 51.5 percent of which had him as a top-two selection.

Perhaps the greatest reason for Mims’ rise this year is the play and leadership of Hammond, a NEWS third-teamer last year and a 1,091-point scorer.

“Ralph had a tendency to take some bad shots last year, but Hammond helped settle him down,” Reed said. “I think his influence helped his development more than anyone else. I really think Hammond was the glue of that team. It was his team.”

Some of Hammond’s numbers were decidedly unlike a frontcourt player as he averaged 4.1 assists and 3.9 steals per game while guarding a wide assortment of top players from mercurial guards like Ray to big men like Caner-Medley.

“Danny was one of the few high school players I’ve seen who can dominate a game without scoring a lot,” said Hanson. “His leadership was huge for us and he would dominate games defensively.”

The two-time Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference player of the year and 1,091-point scorer led the Dragons to their first regional and state hoop crowns and is choosing between Bryant and Bentley colleges and Worcester Academy.

Harvey was already one of the state’s top guards coming into the season, but he elevated his overall game even more by working on his conditioning in the offseason.

“Unless he had foul trouble, very seldom did he come out because he wouldn’t get worn down,” said Golden Bucks coach Dave Gonyar. “He was our best offensive player, our best defensive player, our primary ballhandler…. When you ask somebody to do all that, something has to give, but he could handle it.”

The slick-shooting guard with fluid footwork and quickness averaged 6.3 assists and a gaudy 4.3 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 81 percent from the line to lead Bucksport to the Eastern Maine Class B final.

“He’s one of the best passers around,” said Reed. “He’s so adept at passing, that even when they had turnovers off his passes, it was more because his teammates, even though they were used to his passing ability, were sometimes caught off guard and bobbled it.”

Harvey, who is also a standout shortstop in baseball, intends to play both sports at Husson College next year.

Spaulding never got a chance to play in a state final as his Capers lost in four straight trips to the Western Maine Class B final, but his lack of statewide exposure didn’t keep him from taking his place among the state’s elite.

“He’s a self-made player and I really like his attitude and makeup,” said Francoeur.

Spaulding closed out a 1,522-point career by averaging 20.8 points, 6.4 boards, 4.3 steals, and 3.5 assists per game this season.

“He’s a real class kid and that always impressed me,” said Boothbay coach I.J. Pinkham. “Offensively, he shoots the ball real well. He can create his own, but he works off screens really well.”

Spaulding will take his game to Division II ball next year with a scholarship from St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt.

“The thing I like about him is he defends real well. He’s got the complete package: great hands, good footwork, great running the break, and he can see the floor very well,” said Georges Valley of Thomaston coach Nick DePatsy.

Second Team

Magnusson is one of only a few Maine players to score 2,000 points, finishing with 2,159. Even with his offensive output, he still managed 8.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game.

“He was the best individual player we played,” said Pinkham. “We couldn’t match up with him in terms of quickness. He’s a good defender and I bet he never fouled out of a game.”

The Buccaneers’ all-time leading scorer is leaning toward attending the University of Maine-Farmington.

An honorable mention last year, Phillips wowed opposing coaches and players with his mix of athleticism and power this year.

“The first word that comes to mind for me with him is explosive,” said Hanson.

Phillips (3.4 assists, 2.4 steals) plans to attend Bridgton Academy.

“He may be as good an athlete as any playing the game,” Reed said. “He’s a very good shooter and he’s a scary player when he’s in the open court.”

Putnam was another blend of power and raw athleticism as he led the Hawks to a 19-1 season.

“He’s a very talented player,” said Valley coach Dwight Littlefield. “He has a multi-faceted game and understands the game well.”

Putnam, who averaged a whopping 6.3 assists and 5.2 steals despite playing inside, will attend Colby-Sawyer College with Valley twins Luke Hartwell and Jason Hartwell and MCI star Andrew St. Clair.

Mention Ray and words such as presence, intangibles, awareness, and dexterity usually follow.

“He’s effective with either hand and he’s very shifty inside and outside with his lateral and vertical movement,” said Brewer coach Mark Reed. “Some of the things he does, you can’t game plan against.”

The heady guard shot 79 percent from the line and 45 percent from the field while averaging 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

Andre went from raw project to one of the state’s most imposing two-way inside players.

“I was real impressed with him just because he’s a wicked tough matchup with good shooting touch, great hands, and he’s just so big,” said Hodgdon coach Rob Moran.

Andre, who averaged double digits in points and rebounds plus 2.6 blocked shots and 1.3 assists while shooting 67 percent from the field, will attend Maine Central Institute’s Prep school.

Third Team

Perhaps the best hint of the respect Teague (1,285 points) commands is that the future UMF player is the only All-Maine pick whose team didn’t advance at least as far as a regional quarterfinal.

“He’s going to score, so you just have to make him work hard for it,” Waterville coach Ken Lindloff said. “And he’s a real class act.”

Casavant was a take-charge player, averaging 3.5 assists and 2.9 steals while leading the Wildcats to the Eastern A semifinals.

“He did a lot of things to help them – shooting, rebounding, whatever, and with his range, he was real tough to slow down when he got hot,” said Gonyar.

Footer came within 1.4 seconds of leading his Blue Devils to their first-ever boys state title with his dominating inside play, efficient post moves, and savvy defense.

“He’s the best big guy we saw,” said Moran. “He has a great shooting touch for a guy that big, and he’s a real smart player who doesn’t take bad shots.”

Hartwell (5.0 apg, 2.9 spg) was the main reason the Cavaliers had to clear out more case space for a fourth straight gold ball as he shot 52 percent from the field and 79 percent from the foul line.

“He does everything,” York coach Rick Brault said. “He’s smart, sees the whole court, runs the break, and passes like a point guard.”

Ballantyne led his Rams to three straight West B titles and a gold ball in 1999. He has a University of Maine football scholarship.

“He’s a great overall athlete and does things the average player isn’t going to do out there,” Brault said.

47th All-Maine Schoolboy Team

First Team

Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

Nik Caner-Medley Deering Sr. 6-7 34.2 15.2

Ralph Mims Brunswick So. 6-3 18.9 7.1

Dan Hammond Brunswick Sr. 6-5 15.8 9.4

Jason Harvey Bucksport Sr. 5-11 23.4 6.0

Aaron Spaulding Cape Elizabeth Sr. 6-3 20.8 6.4

Second Team

Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

Travis Magnusson Georges Valley Sr. 5-11 30.5 4.1

Walter Phillips Deering Sr. 6-0 14.9 5.2

Tyler Putnam Hodgdon Sr. 6-4 22.4 9.8

Zak Ray Bangor Jr. 5-10 15.4 3.2

Brian Andre Valley Sr. 6-9 17.7 10.4

Third Team

Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

Trafton Teague Lawrence Sr. 6-2 24.2 11.0

Nick Casavant Presque Isle Sr. 6-2 16.7 7.4

Joe Footer Calais Sr. 6-5 22.6 10.6

Luke Hartwell Valley Sr. 6-3 16.6 5.2

Kendrick Ballantyne Gorham Sr. 6-5 17.7 6.9

Honorable Mention: Tyler Warren and Troy Gabriele (Camden Hills), Jac Arbour and Shawn Gallagher (Cony), Jeff Holmes (Massabesic), Ryan McLellan (Nokomis), James Godley (East Grand), Billy Russo (Mt. Blue), Joel Griffeth (Caribou), Andy Jenkins (Gorham), Jason Hartwell (Valley), Travis Patterson (Dexter), Andy Frost (Calais), Ben Maynard (Lincoln Academy), Pat McCleary (Bangor Christian), Lance Bradstreet (Central Aroostook)