Ray earns Class A Warner Award Mims, Day, McLellan, Pelletier join Rams guard as All-Tourney picks

When the spotlight came on Saturday night for the Eastern Maine Class A boys championship at the Bangor Auditorium, many had not so much shown up for a basketball game but a coronation.

The Brunswick boys had won 44 games in a row, were the defending Class A state champions, and returned last year’s tournament most valuable player in guard Ralph Mims.

But those folks hadn’t factored Bangor senior guard Zak Ray into the equation. Ray scored 18 points, had five steals, five assists, and four rebounds in the game and Bangor pulled off a 62-48 upset of the top-seeded Dragons.

Ray’s performance in the game, combined with his leadership and unselfish team play in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, earned him the EM Class A tourney William C. Warner Most Valuable Player Award.

The William C. Warner Award was established after his death in 1994 to honor NEWS sports editor Bill Warner, who held the post for 17 years.

The MVPs and NEWS All-Tournament Team members are selected by a vote of tournament officials, Maine Principals’ Association members, and members of the media.

Ray averaged 12 points and six assists per game in the tournament. He has been the leader of Bangor’s team defense concept. Ray will be counted on to lead the Rams in their bid to win their sixth state championship under coach Roger Reed when they meet Cheverus of Portland Saturday night at 7:05 at the Bangor Auditorium.

“I certainly am happy for [Ray]. I think it’s well deserved. I’ve said this many times. He’s been a great team leader. He leads by example. He’s very unassuming and a wonderful teammate,” Reed said.

Mims joins Ray on the all-tourney team. The 6-foot-3 junior torched Presque Isle in the quarterfinal for 30 points, including 19 in the third quarter before sitting out the final period of the game.

Mims followed that with a 32-point performance against Brewer in their semifinal. Mims again showed his explosiveness when he scored eight points in less than a minute during the game.

Mims’ teammate, Drew Pelletier, is also a member of the all-tourney team for the second year in a row.

The 6-3 senior averaged 14 ppg and gave opponents fits with his soft touch along the baseline and his ability to shoot from long range.

Bangor shooting guard Wesley Day was one of the reasons that Mims scored only 11 points in the final. He defended Mims for much of the contest. Day was also one of the main reasons Bangor reached the final.

The 6-1 senior’s 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds remaining gave Bangor a narrow win over Nokomis of Newport in their semifinal.

Day averaged 13.3 ppg.

Nokomis guard Ryan McLellan was one of the most exciting players in the tournament. The 5-11 senior averaged 19.5 ppg and showed limitless range.

In the Warriors’ semifinal loss to Bangor, McLellan made three 3-pointers from beyond 25 feet in the second half. He was standing on the letter “A” in the word “Bangor” painted on the Auditorium floor for one of them.