Maine’s 1,000-point club in high school basketball growing quickly
At least 18 high schoolers have surpassed the milestones this winter.
It’s been an eventful winter for some of the state’s most prolific high school basketball scorers.
At least 18 Maine players have gone over 1,000 career points this season, a remarkable milestone for an offensive player.
“That’s a bunch of kids,” said Laughn Berthiaume, the coach of Gorham’s girls’ team.
The list, much of it compiled on the MBR.org website, grew by three in the last week. Gorham junior center Mackenzie Holmes reached the 1,000-point mark, as did two boys, Windham senior point guard Nick Curtis and Wisdom senior guard/forward Jack Guerrette.
Holmes and Greely junior guard Anna DeWolfe are the only two juniors on this season’s list. DeWolfe reached the milestone early in the season.
“What that means is that they came in right away and were ready to compete at the high school level as freshmen,” said Berthiaume. “To do it in three years is remarkable.”
Some of the seniors did it in just three years, too. Portland’s Terion Moss didn’t play much as a freshman, nor did Windham’s Curtis. Windham senior guard Mike Gilman is only 40 points away from going over 1,000.
“It would be incredible for both Nick and Mike to reach 1,000 points from their sophomore to their senior years,” said Chad Pulkkinen, the Windham boys’ coach. “They’ve been a pretty good staple for us as a 1-2 combo. And the thing with them, I’ve never seen two really good players on the same team be such good friends.”
In an era of defensive basketball, with many teams struggling to score 50 points per game, Portland Coach Joe Russo said the 1,000-point milestone is special.
“Kids still love to score,” he said. “You can’t win without scorers. Even though we preach everything else, like defense and rebounding, it makes everything harder if you don’t have a scorer.”
Moss is only the third player in Portland’s history to reach 1,000 points. That he did it as a point guard, and without playing the fourth quarter of many games over the last two years because of his team’s dominance, shows how dangerous a scorer he is.
“Terion runs the team first,” said Russo. “He scores second. And as of late, we’ve been winning pretty good, so my starters don’t see much of the fourth quarter. I’m impressed with the way he’s handled it.”
Curtis has led the SMAA in assists each of the last two seasons.
“There aren’t too many 1,000-point scorers who have that ability to dish the ball like that,” said Pulkkinen. “That shows what type of player he is.”
Holmes, a 6-foot-2 center, has had to change her game a lot this season. Opposing teams collapse their defense on her, so she now faces the basket more. She’s expanded her shooting range and drives to the basket more often.
“To be a 1,000-point scorer, that means you’ve been pretty consistent your whole career, you’ve probably stayed healthy and you’re putting in the work to get better,” said Berthiaume. “If you’re successful early in your career, teams will try to figure out ways to stop you. You’ve got to evolve.”
Two girls who have reached 1,000 points, seniors Sydney Allen of Central and Emily Wheaton of Presque Isle, have committed to play at Husson University.
Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or:
Twitter: MikeLowePPH
