Not only does the 50th annual Bangor Daily News All-Maine boys basketball team honor the state’s top players for the 2004-05 season, it also bodes well for the future of the sport.

This year’s squad is one of the youngest in the half-century history of the team, with seven juniors and one sophomore joining seven seniors among the top 15 players in the state.

Maine’s 2005 Mr. Basketball, senior Tyler Emmons of Portland, anchors a first team that also features juniors Mark Socoby of Bangor and Jordan Cook of Hampden Academy and seniors Tim Stammen of Camden Hills of Rockport and Carlos Strong of Deering of Portland.

Junior Sean Costigan of Cheverus of Portland heads up the second team, which also includes seniors Aaron Gallant of Bangor, Ben Thayer of Gorham, Matt McDonnell of Oxford Hills of South Paris and Josh Jones of Erskine Academy in South China.

Underclassmen dominate the third team, with juniors Brock Bradford of Calvary Chapel of Orrington, Bryant Barr of Falmouth and Chris Wilson of Brewer joined by sophomore Sean McNally of Gardiner and senior Matt Wheelock of Hall-Dale of Farmingdale.

The All-Maine team honors the state’s top 15 players regardless of class, position or region as selected by the NEWS sports staff with input from coaches, officials and other basketball observers.

First team

EMMONS also was named Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year and the Southern Maine Activities Association Player of the Year after leading the conference in rebounding and ranking third in scoring.

Emmons was a three-time All-SMAA choice after being named the league’s rookie of the year as freshman.

“He gets a lot done through his rebounding,” said Cheverus coach Bob Brown. “He’s a strong kid who certainly did a good job on the boards, but he can also step out and hit the 3.”

Emmons is considering attending Caldwell College in New Jersey, the University of Maine or the postgraduate programs at Bridgton Academy or Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield.

SOCOBY is the lone returning member of the All-Maine first team, having made the squad in 2004 while leading Houlton to the Class C state title.

His transition to Class A play at Bangor proved seamless, as Socoby was named the Big East Conference Class A Player of the Year after sparking the Rams to a 17-1 record.

In addition to leading coach Roger Reed’s club in scoring and rebounding, Socoby established himself as a defensive presence, averaging nearly two steals per game.

“When Mark first came in, it took a while for him to get adjusted because he was trying to blend in without taking anything away from [seniors] Aaron [Gallant] or Jordan [Heath],” Reed said. “It took a little time, but with each game he began to take more of a role in what we were trying to do on the court.”

COOK led the Big East Conference in scoring for the second straight season, and also led the conference in rebounding this winter.

Even with that success, the 6-10 center saved his best for postseason play. He was named MVP of the Eastern Maine Class A tournament after scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the second half of Hampden’s 47-40 victory over Oxford Hills in the regional final. He then had 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Broncos defeated Deering in the state final.

“Jordan relies a lot on the fundamentals,” said HA coach Russ Bartlett. “A lot of people might see him mainly as a good defensive player, but he’s led the conference in scoring the last two years, and against Oxford Hills when we needed someone to be assertive, he showed he was an all-state player.”

STAMMEN capped off his four-year varsity career by leading Camden Hills to an undefeated season and the 2005 Class B state championship.

A two-time All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference first-teamer, Stammen was named MVP of this year’s Eastern Maine tournament and then scored 29 points in the state final – including nine in overtime – as coach Jeff Hart’s club outlasted Gorham.

“Tim epitomizes what we’d all like to see in a student-athlete,” said Hart. “Whether it’s on the court or in the classroom or in the community, he’s set a great example. He’s also extremely coachable, just a dream player to coach.”

The Mr. Basketball finalist may attend Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania or the University of Maine.

STRONG transferred from Cheverus to Deering for his junior season, a move that may have tipped the balance of the division as the Rams won their third Western A title in the last five years.

The 6-3 guard led the SMAA in scoring, and went on to be named MVP of the Western A tournament after lifting the third-ranked Rams past No. 2 Portland in the semifinals and No. 1 Cheverus in the final.

“He brought to our team a scorer, a kid who could put up 17 to 25 points a night,” said Deering coach Dan LeGage. “With his energy and intensity and desire to win, he elevated the performance and the goals of the other kids around him.

“He has such an unbelievable will to win, it’s contagious.”

Second team

COSTIGAN’s versatility is reflected in the fact the left-hander was the third-leading rebounder in the SMAA, but also averaged three blocked shots and 2.2 assists while setting a school record for 3-point shooting.

“The thing he is able to do is he can get the rebound, start up the floor and then make the pass,” said Brown.

“He can shoot the 3, but he can also get to the rim. He also can get the ball in the post, take it to the rim, or step back for his shot. He’s got the whole game.”

GALLANT, a third-year All-Mainer last year and a first-team All-Big East choice, played his trademark strong defense and shot 47 percent from the field, 39 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the free-throw line while contributing to a balanced Bangor attack.

“You just can’t measure the size of his heart,” said Reed. “He works harder than everybody else every night, and gives you everything he has. Players like Aaron only come along once in a while.”

Gallant will attend Tufts University, and may play both football and basketball for the Jumbos.

THAYER led Gorham to the 2005 Western B championship, by shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free-throw line.

The three-time Western Maine Conference all-star played in 62 consecutive games for the Rams and finished with 1,067 career points.

“Ben had a tremendous four years at Gorham,” said Gorham coach Kevin Jenkins. “He is everything you would want in a player – big, strong, athletic – with a great work ethic and desire to compete. He was the heart and soul of our team this year.”

Thayer will continue his career at Bates College.

McDONNELL’s perimeter play proved crucial to Oxford Hills advancing to the Eastern A championship game.

The Woodstock resident was named Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference player of the year as a senior after leading the conference in scoring and his team in rebounding.

“When the season began I wasn’t sure how we were going to take care of spreading the ball around because we had several good scorers,” said Oxford Hills coach Scott Graffam. “But as the season went along, the kids themselves realized that Matt was the guy who could get it done the most and they really went to him.”

JONES was named the KVAC Class B Player of the Year after leading the conference in rebounding and ranking third in scoring.

A three-year starter and 1,000-point scorer, Jones also was a significant defensive presence either at the front of the Eagles’ fullcourt zone press or as a shot blocker.

“He’s gone from pretty much just a low-post player to more of a slasher,” said EA coach Tim Bonsant. “He’s really improved his shot from 16 to 17 feet away. He’s a relentless player, he doesn’t get tired and he’s very, very athletic. He just doesn’t quit.”

Third team

BRADFORD evolved from pure point guard as a sophomore to prolific scorer as a junior in leading Calvary Chapel to an 18-3 record and a trip to the Eastern D semifinals. He scored a school-record 49 points against Greater Houlton Christian Academy, and had nine games with at least 32 points. He also averaged six assists and four steals per game.

“Last year he had to settle for eight to 12 points per game,” said his father and former Calvary Chapel coach Ross Bradford. “This year we needed him to come up with 25 to 30 points. His defense also came along, he always had to take the best man on the other team.”

BARR ranked second in the Western Maine Conference in scoring, and led the league with 4.7 assists per contest while helping Falmouth to an 18-3 record and a berth in the Western B title game. The All-WMC first-team choice also set a school record with 39 points in a game against Cape Elizabeth.

“He’s a student of the game,” said Falmouth coach Dave Halligan. “He has good basketball sense, and he works hard on his game. He’s versatile both inside and outside.”

WHEELOCK’s value during Hall-Dale’s run to its first Class C state title since 1974 stemmed as much from his defensive presence as his offensive skills. That was evidenced in the state final, when the first-team Mountain Valley Conference all-star and Western C tourney MVP scored just eight points but controlled the lane with 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots as Hall-Dale topped Dexter.

“Matt’s athleticism from free-throw line to free-throw line is something most people overlook,” said Hall-Dale coach Chris Ranslow. “He’s a very unselfish player, he just wants to win. He didn’t care what he put up for numbers, but he was the most dominant player on the floor every night.”

McNALLY averaged a double-double of points and rebounds to spark Gardiner to its first postseason appearance since 1997 and first tournament victory in two decades.

“One of his strengths is his ability to use his height,” said Gardiner coach Dana Doran of McNally, a first-team All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference choice. “He has long arms, and he really uses his body well. He also knows what a good shot is, he doesn’t force anything.”

WILSON was an offensive force for Brewer despite being the focus of opposing defenses. The first-team All-Big East guard and Eastern A tournament all-star ranked second in the conference in scoring, a ranking accentuated by his league-best 82.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

“Chris is a very talented player,” said Brewer coach Mark Reed. “He’s very coachable, and very meticulous about the details. He’s an excellent shooter, and not only is he a major part of our offense, but he guards the best perimeter player on the opposing team. He’s become a very good defender.”

First Team

Tyler Emmons

Mark Socoby

Jordan Cook

Tim Stammen

Carlos Strong

Second Team

Sean Costigan

Aaron Gallant

Ben Thayer

Matt McDonnell

Josh Jones

Third Team

Brock Bradford

Bryant Barr

Matt Wheelock

Sean McNally

Chris Wilson