This year, for the first time, two players were named Kennebec Journal Boys Basketball Co-Players of the Year. It was not a decision made lightly.

It was a strong season for central Maine boys high school basketball. Were it not for a buzzer beater, teams in the Kennebec Journal circulation area would have taken three of four state championships.

Height is an advantage in the game of basketball but no more important than quickness. This is true at every level, especially in high school, where big men are usually in the developmental stage.

I'll miss watching Maranacook's Ryan Martin, Mike Poulin and Will Bardaglio. They played their last game together Friday night when they beat Cape Elizabeth for their second Class B state championship in three years.

Here are three things to keep in mind as Valley and Richmond meet for the Western Class D boys basketball title this afternoon at the Augusta Civic Center:

1. Can the post players from either team stay out of foul trouble? If either Richmond's Marc Zaharchuk or Valley's Trevor Miller picks up two quick fouls, it could change the game. Richmond has a little more depth, and could withstand a prolonged Zaharchuk withdrawl better than the Cavaliers could make out without Miller for an extended time, but both are vital to their team's success.

Maranacook holds on to defeat Rockland, 59-57. Rockland missed a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds and Maranacook's Conrad Gilman made two foul shots with 6.8 seconds left to ice the game. Ryan Martin led Maranacook with 25 points and Teel Ilvonen had 20, including 6-for-6 on 3-pointers, for Rockland.

The Eastern B boys quarterfinal between No. 1 Maranacook and No. 8 Rockland is under way. The winner will play No. 5 Matttanawcook, a 59-43 winner over Caribou in the first game of the morning.

At the end of the third quarter, Rockland leads 49-48. Dylan Meklin and Tyler Patterson combined for all but 3 of Rockland's points in the quarter.

UPDATE: Maranacook leads 55-51 and has the ball with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter.

UPDATE: Rockland's Teel Ilvonen just hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game. Maranacook leads 55-54 and has the ball with 27.2 seconds left. Rockland is over the limit for personal fouls in the half.

UPDATE: Will Bardaglio hit two free throws to give Maranacook a 57-54 lead with 18.9 seconds left. Rockland has the ball out of bounds after a timeout.

The Rangeley boys basketball team suffered a tough loss when junior guard Quinn Philbrick went down for the season with a knee injury in a game recently against Gould Academy. Philbrick averaged seven points and six assists per game for the Lakers.

Still, Rangeley has plenty of scoring options heading into Saturday's Western D quarterfinal game against Seacoast Christian.

After four years, Maine Central Institute boys basketball head coach Mike Brown has decided to step down. Brown said the decision was based on his desire to watch his sons, currently in sixth and first grade, play ball.

"When I applied for the job, I told (MCI) I probably had four or five years in me," Brown said. "I want to watch what (his sons) are doing. That's kind of been the plan all along.

Those who don't care for conference championship games should have watched Maranacook and Camden Hills go at it Saturday night in the Kennbeec Valley Athletic Conference Class B game.

Erskine Academy had no say in the power going out twice Thursday night in its game against Gardiner. But school officials do have power over the atmosphere they create, and as usual it was lively and positive.

Officials are bashed so often at games and on the Internet, it seems only fair to point out when they do a good job. That was the case Monday night at Gardiner when the Tigers hosted unbeaten Maranacook.

Every now and then, a group of can't-miss middle school basketball prospects emerges. That was the case four years ago in the Capital Area Middle School League.

Too bad every high school basketball game couldn't be as exciting and competitive as the Dirigo at Winthrop game Friday night. Then again, that's what separates these games from the regular season pack.

Winthrop looks to complete a sweep tonight of the top three teams in the Mountain Valley Conference when it takes on Dirigo in Winthrop.

When Cony High School senior center Andrew Pullen missed a shot early in the overtime period of the Rams game against Lewiston High School on Thursday night, part of the Lewiston crowd chanted, "Overrated."
At least one person involved with the Lewiston program doesn't think that word applies to Pullen, after his 23-point performance in the Rams' 73-71 OT win Thursday.

The Maranacook boys basketball team defeated Camden Hills 76-67 in an exciting, pulsating, insert-adjective-here game in Rockport on Tuesday night.

Maranacook's Mike Poulin has often been overshadowed by high-scoring teammates Ryan Martin and Will Bardaglio, but the senior point guard is a key to the Black Bears success.

Maranacook's Will Bardaglio and Ryan Martin each spoke with collegiate basketball representatives following their team's 60-47win over Gardiner on Tuesday night.

I've made a few scoring mistakes covering basketball throughout my career, but I was pretty sure I had it right Friday night at Erskine Academy.

It's never too early for a test on the basketball court and three of them are on tap Tuesday night in just the second game of the season.

Friday night is opening night of the high school basketball season, and in the KVAC Class A, there are a couple of interesting games.

Lawrence plays at Skowhegan. Both teams feel they've improved from last season, and expect to make playoff runs. For Skowhegan, a key is how much have Jordan Taylor and Paul Verville, who both started as freshmen last year, improved? For Lawrence, have the Bulldogs developed an inside game that will spark the offense? Expect both teams to play strong defense, as Skowhegan coach Troy Scott played at Lawrence under Mike McGee, and both stress defense first.

With the high school basketball season around the corner, dozens of questions are cropping up and I can hardly wait for the answers.