Warriors vs. Lions at 3:05 p.m.

NEWPORT – Growing up in Hartland, Jessica Merrow was always one of the tallest girls playing basketball. But when she got to Nokomis High in Newport, the 5-foot-8 Merrow found another forward in front of her – Danielle Clark, a promising 6-footer who had played her youth basketball in Corinna.

The two girls had played against each other, but didn’t know each other. And as a sophomore, junior and senior Merrow found herself on the bench with Clark starting.

“It was actually kind of hard,” Merrow said during practice earlier this week. “I was used being kind of the star in junior high because I was the tallest person. And it’s like, I came on varsity and I was sitting on the bench. But I got used to it.”

Because Merrow has accepted the back-up role with grace, Warriors coach Earl Anderson said, and has been playing so well lately, she might find herself with significant playing time in Saturday’s Class A state championship game.

That’s because Nokomis’ opponent, McAuley of Portland, starts three players who are listed at 6-foot or taller.

The Eastern Maine champ Warriors and Western Maine champ Lions will face each other for the state crown in a 3:05 p.m. start at the Bangor Auditorium.

Forwards Clark – now a 6-1 Miss Basketball finalist with a full scholarship to New Hampshire – and 5-8 Sara Lowe have been Nokomis starters since their sophomore seasons.

Anderson envisions a rotation with Lowe and Merrow inside and Clark, who has added a perimeter game, at a small forward spot. That would be especially effective if the Lions play zone defense, which Anderson expects they will do.

“I think that’s a decent lineup but it’s a different look,” he said. “We wouldn’t have as much inside scoring but we’ll get inside touches. [Lowe and Merrow] are good enough that people have to guard them in there. I expect Jess will get significant minutes.”

Merrow has played in every game this winter and had a season-high nine points against Old Town Jan. 29.

She’s earned the shot at increased minutes, Anderson said, because of her play on the defensive end.

“She’s improved on the ball but more importantly she’s improved so much off the ball,” he said. “In the last month when I watched game tapes I can’t think of any other player who’s in the right place at the right time more often on defense.”

The Warriors were impressed with Merrow’s play in the tournament and against Cony in last Saturday’s Eastern Maine final, in which she scored two points and had three rebounds.

“I bet no one but us knew she did so well,” Clark said. “She did awesome. She played great defense. We’re going to need her [against McAuley] to rebound, be a big body in there and box out, get a couple of points.”

Anderson said Merrow’s strides have been especially impressive considering she doesn’t have the basketball experience of some of her teammates who played extensively before they got to high school and play AAU in the off-season. Instead, Merrow works out with her 6-2 father, Andy Merrow, who played for Nokomis in the late 1970s.

“Up until I came to Nokomis I was never really coached, defensively, especially,” she said. “Most of the defense I’ve learned has come from Coach Anderson.”