HA’s Cook wins Warner MVP award All-tourney team selected

The biggest player in the Eastern Maine Class A boys basketball tournament came up with his biggest game while under the biggest spotlight.

And for that effort and his overall presence throughout Hampden Academy’s run to its first Eastern A championship, 6-foot-10 junior center Jordan Cook has been selected to receive the Bangor Daily News’ William C. Warner Most Valuable Player Award.

The Warner Award, established in 1994 in memory of a former NEWS sports editor and reporter, and all-tourney team are selected by a vote of media, tournament personnel and representatives of the Maine Principals’ Association.

Cook averaged 13.7 points, 13 rebounds and 5.7 blocked shots in three tournament games to lead the ninth-seeded Broncos to their first regional title since winning the Eastern B crown in 1982.

Cook is joined on the Eastern A All-Tournament Team by Hampden teammate Blaine Meehan, Matt McDonnell of Oxford Hills of South Paris, Chris Wilson of Brewer and Sean McNally of Gardiner.

Cook posted a double-double in each of Hampden’s three games at the Bangor Auditorium, highlighted by a 16-point, 19-rebound performance with seven blocked shots in Hampden’s 47-40 victory over Oxford Hills in the EM final.

In that game, Cook helped coach Russ Bartlett’s Hampden squad rally from a 23-17 halftime deficit by scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds after intermission. He also shook off foul trouble, playing with four fouls for the game’s final 7 minutes and 10 seconds.

“At halftime I really challenged the kids as to who was going to show some leadership,” said Hampden coach Russ Bartlett. “We needed someone to show some toughness, and he did. Fourteen rebounds and 14 points in a half is more than a lot of people have in any game. He just showed a lot of fortitude.”

Meehan, a 5-10 senior guard, averaged 11.7 points during the tournament, but just as important to the Broncos’ success was his defensive play on the perimeter as he helped his team limit its tourney foes to an average of 38 points per game.

McDonnell, a 6-2 senior guard, led No. 2 Oxford Hills to the regional final, an effort highlighted by a 23-point, nine-rebound performance in his team’s semifinal victory over No. 6 Gardiner. The Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference player of the year averaged 14.3 points per game during postseason play for coach Scott Graffam’s Vikings.

Wilson led Brewer’s charge from the No. 13 seed to the regional semifinals. The focus of every opponent’s defensive attention, the 6-0 junior guard averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in tourney play for coach Mark Reed’s club, including a 21-point, six-rebound performance in the Witches’ quarterfinal victory over Leavitt of Turner Center in which he shot a tidy 8 of 11 from the field.

McNally, a 6-7 sophomore forward, helped Gardiner make its first appearance at the Bangor Auditorium since 1997 and its first quarterfinal victory in two decades with 17 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots in the Tigers’ quarterfinal victory over No. 3 Brunswick. He averaged 15.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in his two tournament games for coach Dana Doran’s club.