Some of the big questions surrounding this year’s Eastern Maine Class A boys basketball tournament have little to do with the actual product on the floor.

That’s because the floor itself is different in 2006, with the region’s final eight advancing to the quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center.

Yes, the Augusta Civic Center. By a vote of the Maine Principals’ Association membership in November 2004, the Eastern A tourney was moved from its longstanding home at the Bangor Auditorium to Augusta, a move made to address recent dips in tournament attendance and to place the event at a more centrally located venue given that Eastern A stretches as far south as Greater Brunswick and as far southwest as Lewiston-Auburn and Oxford Hills High in South Paris.

Will the move work? Will the casual Oxford Hills and Edward Little of Auburn and Brunswick fans who may have been more selective in following their teams to Bangor now make the trek to Augusta a rite of February vacation week?

Therein lies another change, moving the Eastern and Western A tournaments up two weeks to coincide with the B, C, and D regionals. By March 5, all that will be left are the McDonald’s East-West Senior All-Star Games and the selection of Mr. and Miss Basketball.

How these changes play out remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – the level of competition in the Eastern A boys ranks should be keen.

Defending state champion Hampden Academy, Brunswick, Gardiner, and Edward Little headed the field entering postseason play.

Hampden features the state’s dominant post presence in 6-foot-10 University of Maine-bound senior Jordan Cook, who averages more than 20 points and 11 rebounds per game for coach Russ Bartlett’s Broncos.

Cook anchors a veteran lineup that also features seniors J Uhrin, Max Silver, and Sam Hodgdon and juniors Daniel McCue and Evan Farley. Hampden is not as deep as its 2005 edition but cruised through the regular season with just two losses before being upset by Old Town in its regular-season finale.

Brunswick carries the division’s best record into postseason play, having lost just an overtime game to Edward Little and its regular-season finale to Morse of Bath. Current Florida State guard Ralph Mims is now two years removed from the Dragons, but veteran coach Todd Hanson has built one of the state’s top programs from top to bottom, with this year’s club featuring three standouts in Doug Eichinger, Jordan Kelly, and Travis O’Dell.

Gardiner had a breakthrough season in 2005, and still boasts a youthful nucleus featuring 6-7 junior Sean McNally – who already has verbally committed to the University of Maine after his high school days are done – and sophomore point guard Kyle Stilphen.

Edward Little enters postseason play as the hottest team in the division, led by 6-6 junior Troy Barnies, who may find the Civic Center home to his statewide basketball coming-out party if coach Mike Adams’ Red Eddies can advance beyond the quarterfinals.

Bangor had to regroup when star guard Mark Socoby was lost for the season last fall with a torn ACL, but veteran coach Roger Reed has molded a group of underclassmen led by junior forward Alex Gallant into a unit that few teams want to face whether the venue is Bangor or Augusta.

Messalonskee is another threat given its balance of size and guard play, while Morse is rebuilding quickly under veteran coach Mike Nelson.

Then there’s Brewer – a team that entered postseason play around .500 but with the potential to knock off virtually anyone in the field.

Coach Mark Reed’s Witches rebounded from a 2-6 start to win seven of their last 10 games, and have a star that can take over any contest in senior guard Chris Wilson to go with a resilient supporting cast.