MPA Early Season Report

The season is nearing the mid-way point in Maine, as the beginning of the state tournament is just about 7 weeks away.   With that, comes a clarity on what things look like across the MPA's five divisions, with just 12 undefeated teams remaining throughout Maine.   Below, we'll take a look at some of those teams and the players that have guided their hot starts to the season.   Windham: At 4-0, the Eagles are looking strong in their bid to repeat as state champions in Class AA. Windham's best team attribute might be their depth, with seven players already claiming at least one 10+ point game. They're led by their big three of [player_tooltip player_id='2818596' first='AJ' last='Moody'], [player_tooltip player_id='2950400' first='Tyrie' last='James'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2811965' first='Creighty' last='Dickson'], who combined for 48 points in an early season showdown win against Edward Little. Moody is an athlete wing that thrives in transition and can score at all three levels, James is a heady lead guard that doesn't back down in big moments, and Dickson is a tough and physical presence that plays with a good motor.   Cheverus: The Stags sit at 5-0 and appear to be a real threat in Class AA North. With early season wins over city rivals Portland, Deering, and South Portland, they've cemented themselves among the state's best teams. They're getting major contributions from [player_tooltip player_id='2325885' first='Leo' last='McNabb'], who's averaging 19.4 points per game so far and proving to be one of the MPA's top players regardless of position. [player_tooltip player_id='2553806' first='Jameson' last='Fitzpatrick'] is controlling the glass and adding 9.0 points per game, while sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2568524' first='Nicola' last='Plalum'] seems to get better game by game and is averaging 9.4 points per game, having scored in double figures in each of his last three.   Brewer: Sitting at 6-0, the Witches stand alone atop Class A North. Brewer has impressive early season wins over Camden Hills and Bangor and appears to be led by their own big three in Steven Youngs, Owen Fullerton, and Oliver Higgins, who combined for 53 points in a recent win over Lawrence. Youngs is an athletic guard that can play above the rim in transition and scores from all three levels in the half-court. Fullerton is a terrific wing defender that thrives in the open floor and can finish through contact around the rim. Higgins is arguably the top first-year in the state and at 6'7" provides a real presence in the paint for Brewer while providing a unique skillset on the offensive end of the floor.   Noble: The Knights, a preseason favorite in Class A South, have started the year 5-0. Noble might have the most impressive set of early season wins, with victories against South Portland, Falmouth, Kennebunk, and Deering. You could argue that they have the state's top back-court, with Isaiah Rose and Bryce Guitard. Rose has established himself as one of the state's top players, averaging over 20 points per game to go along with a high number of rebounds, assists, and steals every night. Guitard is one of the state's top perimeter shooters, is a disruptive defender, and is also averaging north of 10 points per game.   York: A suprise early season standout, the Wildcats are undefeated in Class B South, and the first team in the state to win seven games, sitting at 7-0. A recent win over defending Class B state champion Gray-New Gloucester has been the defining early season result, getting a combined 54 points from Lucas Ketchum, [player_tooltip player_id='2696742' first='Reece' last='MacDonald'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2693558' first='Lukas' last='Bouchard']. Senior point guard Ryan Cummins has contributed 7.7 points per game and been a steadying presence on the offensive end of the floor. Ketchum and Bouchard are both contributing 10 points per game, with Bouchard providing an inside presence since returning from injury. On top of all that, MacDonald has asserted himself as one of the state's top scorers in his junior season and is averaging 26 points per game.   Medomak Valley: The Panthers, another Class B South favorite, checks in with a 5-0 record and an average maring of victory of 25.0 points per game. They've got three guys averaging double digits in scoring in Mason Nguyen, [player_tooltip player_id='2546922' first='Gabe' last='Lash'], and Rocco DePatsy. Nguyen has been "Mr. Consistent" in the early going, giving the Panthers a third guy they can rely on each night. Lash is one of the state's top forwards and on top of contributiing over 15 points per game, is making a serious impact as a facilitator and rebounder. DePatsy is a low post scoring threat that controls that glass and provides a defensive presence in the paint.   Spruce Mountain: The Phoenix are 5-0 and another early season contender out of Class B South. Spruce Mountain also has an impressive scoring margin, winning their games by an average of 29.6 points and is another team that has benefited from great depth, with six players already scoring at least 10 points in a game. [player_tooltip player_id='2811969' first='Jace' last='Bessey'], a senior guard that recently passed that 1,000 point mark, has reminded everyone that he's one of the state's top scorers, averaging over 26 points per game. He's complimented by [player_tooltip player_id='2898404' first='Cai' last='Dougher'], a junior forward that's averaging over 12 points per game.   Beyond that, Machias Memorial (5-0), Mattanawcook (6-0), and Madawaska (3-0) are all undefeated in Class C North, while Mt. Abram, at 6-0, is the lone remaining undefeated team in Class C South. Valley, sitting at 5-0, is the only undefeated team left in all of Class D.   Keep an eye out as we begin to profile the rest of New England's state associations as they approach the mid-way point of their seasons in the coming weeks.

The season is nearing the mid-way point in Maine, as the beginning of the state tournament is just about 7 weeks away.