Sean McNally, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound junior forward from Gardiner Area High School, is expected to announce Monday a verbal commitment to play Division I basketball at the University of Maine beginning in the fall of 2007.

According to a news release issued by Gardiner coach Dana Doran, McNally will announce his college choice during a press conference scheduled for noon at the school library.

As a high school sophomore last winter, McNally was a Bangor Daily News All-Maine third-team choice after averaging 17.9 points, 13.5 rebounds and 5 blocked shots per game in leading Gardiner to a 14-7 record, its first tournament appearance since 1997 and its first tournament victories since 1983.

McNally also was named to the All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference first team as a sophomore, and earned second-team All-KVAC laurels as a freshman after averaging 19 points, 9 rebounds and three blocked shots per game.

In addition to Maine, other Division I programs to recruit McNally include American University, Yale, Lafayette and Siena.

McNally also is a standout tight end and defensive end for the Gardiner High football team, but had to sit out the 2005 season after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot last spring. McNally also is a pitcher-first baseman for the Tigers’ baseball team.

McNally is expected to become the third high-profile schoolboy player from the state to commit to join the University of Maine men’s basketball program in recent months. Over the summer, 6-10 Hampden Academy senior Jordan Cook and 6-7 Cheverus of Portland senior Sean Costigan made verbal commitments to attend Maine beginning in the fall of 2006.

Paradis leaves Old Town post

With just two weeks to go until the start of preseason high school basketball practices, Old Town is advertising for a new boys varsity coach with the recent decision of Brad Paradis to step down after one season.

Paradis cited family reasons for his decision.

“It’s basically a situation where I had to make a decision between Old Town basketball and my family, and I’ve decided to put my family first at this stage,” said Paradis, who coached basketball at the subvarsity level in Old Town for seven years before becoming varsity coach in May 2004 after longtime Indians coach Marty Clark ended his 16-year tenure in charge of the program.

Paradis said he first considered stepping down during the summer, and renewed that consideration within the last few weeks before reaching his decision.

“I feel like that for my family and the program, this is the best thing for me to do right now,” said Paradis, a 1996 OTHS graduate. “I wasn’t sure at this point I’d be able to give 100 percent to the kids, and I don’t think that would be fair.”

Paradis, who also coaches junior varsity baseball at John Bapst of Bangor, said he would not rule out a return to the basketball sidelines in the future

Old Town finished 6-12 in Eastern Maine Class A last winter, and will be led this winter by the tandem of guard Logan Bouchard and forward Travis Shaw.

Preseason practices for Maine high school basketball in all four classes for the 2005-06 season are scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 21. Old Town is slated to play its first game of the season at home on Friday, Dec. 9, against Lawrence of Fairfield.