N.E. Hall of Fame taps Wilson, Mahaney

Dana Wilson, Peter Gavett, Dwight Littlefield, Keith Mahaney, and Lisa Blais are among the 2004 class of inductees to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Hall has announced its third annual class of enshrined hoop stars who will be honored in Sept. 14 ceremonies at the University of Rhode Island’s Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I.

Other notable Mainers and Maine sports figures who will be inducted are high school and college coach Bob Brewer, former Maine Central Institute postgraduate star and NBA player Sam Cassell, former Brunswick High star and UMaine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie, former University of Southern Maine star Diana Duff, Bates College standout Emily King, and Rumford High School star Doug Roberts.

Wilson scored more than 2,000 points in his four-year career as a guard at Husson College. Littlefield coached the Valley High School boys of Bingham to six straight Class D state titles and separate win streaks of 101 and 46 games while also notching 400 career coaching wins.

Gavett was a key player for Orono High School and led the Red Riots to the 1967 Class L state title. Mahaney led the UMaine men’s team in scoring with 22.7 points per game in the 1953-54 season and 22.6 in the 1956-57 season. Blais led her Westbrook High School Blue Blazes to four straight Class A state titles and later helped lead Old Dominion University to the 1985 NCAA national championship.

Inductees are selected each year in various high school, college, and professional basketball categories. Nominees from each of the six New England states come from an appointed committee and members of the media. The nominees are then passed on to the selection committee, which includes four people from each state and five at-large members.