Sinclair, Russell, LeVasseur, Wood, Weatherbee honored

The annual Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Basketball Games traditionally are a celebration of some of the state’s top high school athletes.

But the weekend of events at Husson College in Bangor also features recognition for some of the state’s top coaches.

The Maine Association of Basketball Coaches recognized 16 of its members during a break in Saturday’s game with Coach of the Year honors.

Eastern Maine boys coaches of the year are the following:

Class A: Mike Adams, Edward Little. Adams guided the Red Eddies of Auburn to an undefeated regular season and the No. 1-ranking in Eastern A. Led by 2007 Mr. Basketball Troy Barnies, EL also won the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A championship.

Class B: Rick Sinclair, Mattanawcook Academy. Sinclair led a team that had suffered heavy graduation losses to a 14-4 regular-season record and the No. 5 seed in Eastern B. The Lynx of Lincoln then defeated No. 4 Caribou and No. 8 Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield to advance to the Eastern B championship game.

Class C: Jamie Russell, Piscataquis. Russell and the Pirates of Guilford finished the season 19-2, its only losses coming to Class D top seed Schenck of East Millinocket and to Calais in the Eastern C final. The Pirates posted 17 consecutive victories between those defeats, including tournament wins over Dexter and Washington Academy of East Machias.

Class D: Steve LeVasseur, Schenck: LeVasseur led the Wolverines through a predominantly Class C schedule with just two defeats, then to postseason victories over Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook, Washburn and Lee Academy before dropping a dramatic 75-74 victory to Deer Isle-Stonington in the EM final.

Eastern Maine girls coaches of the year are the following:

Class A: Brenda Beckwith, Messalonskee: The Eagles’ fourth coach in as many years, Beckwith led Messalonskee of Oakland to the No. 1 seed in Eastern A behind Miss Basketball finalist Chelsea Barker. Messalonskee finished 17-1 before advancing to the regional final, where it lost to Cony of Augusta in overtime.

Class B: Ted Rioux of Waterville. Rioux made his first year at Waterville a championship one, guiding the youthful Purple Panthers to an undefeated season and the program’s first state title with an overtime victory over Lake Region of Naples in the championship game.

Class C: Gary Wood, Washington Academy: The first-year varsity coach led the Raiders of East Machias to the best regular season in school history, an 18-0 finish good for first place in the division.

Class D: Ron Weatherbee, Lee Academy. Weatherbee guided Lee to its second Class D state championship in the last three years. The Pandas earned the No. 1 seed in the regular season before rolling through the Eastern Maine tournament and then topping Hyde School of Bath in the state final.

Western Maine girls basketball coaches of the year are Ron Cote of Biddeford (Class A), George Conant of Falmouth (Class B), Doug Lisherness of Mount Abram of Salem (Class C) and Troy Eastman of Buckfield (Class D).

Western Maine boys basketball coaches of the year are Joe Russo of Portland (Class A), Nick DePatsy of Lincoln Academy of Newcastle (Class B), Gavin Kane of Dirigo of Dixfield (Class C) and Paul Lancaster of Richmond (Class D).

Cimino bound for Freedom Hall

Miss Maine Basketball Ashley Cimino’s next stop is one of the historic basketball arenas in America, Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.

That’s where the 6-foot-3 senior forward from Western Maine Class A champion Catherine McAuley High of Portland will be the first Maine schoolgirl player to participate in the national McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Game on Wednesday, March 28.

The game will feature 24 of the top high school seniors in the nation, divided into two 12-player teams.

“I’m excited,” said Cimino, who will leave for Louisville on Saturday and return to Maine on Thursday, March 29. “I’m playing with a lot of the best players in the country. I’ve played with them and against them all through the summer for the past few years, but it’s still exciting.”

Cimino will be one of three players headed for Stanford University participating in the game. But while Cimino will be on the East roster, her future Cardinal teammates – Jeanette Pohlen of Brea-Olinda High School in Brea, Calif., and Kayla Pedersen of Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz. – will play for the West.

The girls McDonald’s All American game will start at 5:30 p.m. on March 28 and will be televised live on ESPNU.