19 Mainers McDonald’s nominees

Nineteen Maine high school basketball players have been nominated for the 2006 McDonald’s All-American Team.

The Maine standouts – 10 boys and nine girls – were among 2,500 players nationwide nominated for the honor by the McDonald’s All-American Basketball Team selection committee.

Boys nominees from Maine are Brock Bradford of Bangor Christian, Chris Wilson of Brewer, Jordan Cook of Hampden Academy, Bryant Barr of Falmouth, Jeff Manchester of Gorham, Wayne Portalatin of the Maine Central Institute postgraduate team in Pittsfield, Martin Cleveland and Carlos Strong of Deering of Portland, and Sean Costigan and Graham Whitelaw of Cheverus of Portland.

Girls nominees from Maine are Kristin Baker of Valley of Bingham, Sabrina Cote of Dexter, Michelle Holmquist of Dirigo of Dixfield, Molly Coffin of Noble of North Berwick, Katie Bergeron and Jennifer Jones of Old Town, Kristen Arsenault of Mountain Valley of Rumford, Nicole Paradis of Skowhegan, and Emilie Knight of Winthrop.

As nominees, the players will be considered for the 48 positions on the final four teams – East and West boys and girls squads – that will compete in the 2006 McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Games on March 29 at Cox Arena on the campus of San Diego (Calif.) State University.

The last player with a Maine connection to play in a McDonald’s All-American Game was DerMarr Johnson of MCI in 1999. Johnson scored 19 points for the East in that year’s game and went on to play for one year at the University of Cincinnati before becoming a first-round draft pick of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

The 6-foot-9 Johnson currently plays for the Denver Nuggets.

OT’s Bouchard erupts for 41

Old Town’s Logan Bouchard had one of the biggest scoring nights of the high school basketball season in leading his team to a 70-64 Class A basketball victory at Skowhegan on Tuesday night.

The 6-foot-2 senior guard broke loose for a career-high 41 points in leading coach Marty Clark’s club to its second win of the season.

Bouchard made seven 3-pointers along the way and shot better than 50 percent from beyond the arc.

“He just seemed to be in a zone early on,” said Clark. “He’s extremely athletic, he can jump out of the building, and he likes to shoot the 3.”

Bouchard faced a variety of defenses, including a box-and-one, but his perimeter work and driving ability and some complementary outside shooting by classmate Travis Shaw (14 points, three 3-pointers) proved to be too much for Skowhegan.

“I almost expected a big night from Logan,” said Clark. “We had a conversation before the game about leadership and character, and he really responded.”

Old Town is now 2-10 on the season, but six of its losses have been by six points or less.