Here are a few Maine hoop teams that could win gold next year
The Windham boys and South Portland girls are among 2025 state champions who could be favorites again.
PostedYesterday at 4:06 PM
UpdatedMarch 5
Mike MandellKennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel
Portland Press Herald
South Portland players celebrate a basket in the fourth quarter of the Class AA girls state championship game. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald
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The 2024-25 Maine high school basketball tournament brought us remarkable games, major upsets, stunning finishes and much more.
Now, we look ahead to next season — and in 2025-26, everything changes.
With a major reclassification proposal set to shake up the sport statewide, it’s tough to truly know what we should expect next winter. Nevertheless, here are a few teams that are poised to be major forces, in a way-too-early look at next year’s possible state title contenders.
Boys
Windham (2024-25: 18-4, Class AA champion)
Think Windham can’t three-peat without Creighty Dickson and some other key seniors? Think again, because while the Eagles will suffer some graduation losses, the same is true of most other teams in the revamped Class A they’re set to join. Compared to many of those teams, Windham looks to be in a better place.
Tyrie James (14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds per game this year) and AJ Moody (8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.0 steals), both key players on Windham’s 2024 and 2025 state title teams, return next winter. The Eagles also bring back a third starter in Colin Janvrin (9.1 points, Class AA North-best 2.0 blocks).
Caribou (2024-25: 21-1, Class B champion)
Like Windham, Caribou is losing a fair bit from this year’s championship team. The Vikings will say goodbye to one of the state’s top senior players in 6-foot-5 center Tristan Robbins, as well as starters Brayden Brescia and Kaymen Sargent.
Still, there’s something that makes Caribou a staple on this list: The Vikings will likely be in Class C next season. The talent level in the North drops considerably from B to C, and with Owen Corrigan (14.5 points, 4.2 assists) and 6-6 Colby Ouellette expected back, Caribou should be an immediate title threat again.
Caribou’s Owen Corrigan drives past York defender Robbie Hanscom during the Class B state championship game. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
Valley (2024-25: 20-1, Class D South runner-up)
Nobody enters the 2025-26 season in a better spot than the Valley boys. The Cavaliers return their top players from this year’s regional runner-up team, and while they head to the new Under-100 class, some of their top competition from recent years (St. Dom’s, Telstar) will remain in Class D.
“We had one senior this year who was a kid that really didn’t get much playing time, but other than that, we’re bringing back basically the whole team,” Valley coach Mike Staples said. “We know next year’s another year, and we’re going to work to get a little bit more mature and more disciplined.”
Other likely contenders: Camden Hills (Class A), South Portland (Class A), Cony (Class B), Mattanawcook Academy (Class C), Mt. Abram (Class D), Monmouth Academy (Class D)
Girls
South Portland (2024-25: 19-3, Class AA champion)
Might as well start at the top. After winning their first state championship since 1986, the Red Riots should be in great shape for next year, with 11 of 13 varsity players returning, including starting guards Annie Whitmore and Mya Lawrence and forwards Destiny Peter and Caleigh Corcoran. True, Emma Travis (17 points, 10 rebounds in the state final) will be gone, but champions rarely return this well-stocked.
“There were a few of them who throughout that date and even the next day, within our basketball team chat, (saying) they’re not satisfied, they want more,” coach Brianne Maloney said. “It helps us even starting off the season next year, them having that mentality of knowing what it’s going to take to get there. … They’ve been on that floor before, they’ve had success on that floor.”
Maloney doesn’t worry about any championship hangover.
“Not with this group,” she said. “Now that they know that they can do it, they know what it takes to do it. It’s going to push them harder and push them further.”
Cheverus (2024-25: 16-6, Class AA runner-up)
It was a third state final in four years for Cheverus, but the Stags were no juggernaut. Cheverus had to replace three starters from the previous season, including Miss Maine winner Maddie Fitzpatrick, and learn new offensive and defensive philosophies over the season.
Next year, the Stags should contend again. Four of five starters are expected back, led by point guard Kylie Lamson (21.9 points per game), Addie Jordan and Abby Kelly.
“There’s so much we threw in the last month, defenses and offenses, that we can build on now, where we were literally starting over this year,” coach Bill Goodman said. “We’re going to be way ahead of the game than we were starting in November.”
The new alignment, however, makes for a challenging road back. The Stags will have South Portland in their region in Class A, along with Gorham, Sanford and Class B runner-up Biddeford.
“It’ll be like the old days,” Goodman said. “In the quarterfinals in Class A, the old way, every game was tough. When I was at McAuley, that’s the way it was. It’s going to be that way again.”
Spruce Mountain (2024-25: 18-2, Class B South semifinalists)
The Phoenix are sitting pretty. Three of five starters — sophomores Maddie Grimaldi and Natasha McDonald and freshman Lily Bellerose — are expected back and should see considerable improvement. This year’s roster had only two seniors.
Furthermore, a team that’s gone 56-7 over the last three seasons will likely move down to Class C with the realignment. The teams that have beaten Spruce Mountain in the postseason — Ellsworth, Oceanside and Biddeford — are slotted in either Class B or Class A, and the Phoenix would be the second-biggest Class C school, resulting in a less-challenging path in the postseason.
Other contenders: Biddeford (Class A), Mt. Ararat (Class A), Hampden Academy (Class A), Erskine Academy (Class B), Lawrence (Class B), Penobscot Valley (Class D), Central Aroostook (Class D), Valley (Under 100). Copy the Story Link
