Game 7
In which I go to a hockey game
It's been a little bit of a strange week. A lot of Wednesday's schedule got wiped out by the rain, so when my buddy Ben from The Maine Hockey Report told me I really should check out the Mariners' series with Adirondack, Wednesday made a lot of sense. It didn't hurt that it was Game 7.
It took roughly 10 seconds after I picked up my press pass for a stranger to inform me that this wouldn't be a basketball game.
It was a great crowd at the hockey rink and when Nick Anderson broke a 1-1 tie with 3:50 to go in the 3rd period, the place went nuts.
It was the first series win for the Mariners. They don't count the Pirates history as their own, because they're not desperate to claim someone else's success as their own like the Lakers are.
After the game, coach Rick Kowalsky spoke to the media.
I had a great time and thanks to the Mariners for letting me hang out.
It feels like there's been a big coaching story every couple of days since the end of the season and here's another one.
Larry Mahoney
Urquhart's Southern Aroostook program was an absolute juggernaut very recently
“This is an opportunity to take a full-time administration job. I can get out of the classroom and focus my full attention on helping kids in a different way,” said the 41-year-old Eastport native. “I’m going to miss coaching incredibly, but, with that being said, if you ask any varsity basketball coach, they will tell you it isn’t exactly good for your mental health.”
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If you were in Maine in the 90's, there were a couple of semi-mythical names in the basketball community. There was Cindy, of course, but you also kept hearing the name Andy Bedard as a guy to watch.
That hype paid dividends, of course. There was the state title game against Camden Hills and the Hall of Fame career. Then, he was back in the news as a key player in the Maine United story, coaching Cooper Flagg and friends for a couple of years as they took AAU by storm, nearly winning Peach Jam. Key to that run was the play of his son Kaden, maybe the most Maine basketball talent to not play Maine high school basketball. Please submit other nominations in the comments.
Well now he's headed to Orono to join Ace Flagg on a Black Bears roster still looking for their first trip to March Madness.
That path theoretically got a little bit easier this week as the NCAA voted to expand the tournament field for reasons that remain...money. They did it for money. And because we can't have nice things.
Dickie V is not a fan.
J.P. Hoornstra
If you're looking for an opportunity to catch JP Estrella next season with his new Michigan teammates, you might be in luck.
Jon Rothstein
CMCC has found their next coach after Andrew Morong's departure: Paul True, currently of Lake Region.
CMCC is proud to appoint Paul True as the next head coach of the Women's Basketball program! 🐴🏀#cmmustangs #horsepower #basketball #mesports
— CMCC Athletics (@CMCCMustangs) May 7, 2026
Release: https://t.co/Be2gntPGOv pic.twitter.com/eVIDllANE7
If you missed it, Andrew Morong was on the podcast to talk about his run at CMCC.
I will say that the feedback on this episode has been stronger and more positive than most, which is always nice to hear.
Speaking of the podcast, I recorded 3 more episodes in the last couple of days, so keep an eye out for those and make sure you subscribe to the podcast on YouTube to make sure you get it first.
Nationally, we have some shot clock news.
New Jersey is the latest state to adopt a shot clock, in a razor-thin vote. They're the 33rd state to see the light.
Darren Cooper, NorthJersey.com
They also overwhelmingly voted in favor of adding girls flag football. I would be ok with us following New Jersey's lead on both of those things and I can't believe I just said we should take a cue from New Jersey on...anything.
However, Indiana declined to join them.
BREAKING: The proposal for a 35-second shot clock in Indiana high school basketball failed to pass.
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) May 4, 2026
IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig shares with WISH-TV his thoughts on the decision:
"Tradition certainly carries a lot here in Indiana. Maybe more than other states." pic.twitter.com/L82EahUKAs
People are going to say that Indiana is the hotbed of high school basketball and if they don't want a shot clock, why should anyone? But, they very recently decided to get rid of their iconic tournament and no one was trying to follow their lead there. So...you know.
Edward Little has been up and down in the early part of the season. They've played a pretty rough schedule, with 6 games against teams the Model currently has in the Top 25. They're 4-3, but they're got 2 close losses to very good teams (Messo and Bangor), a very good win over 4-1 Greely.
They'll head to the coast to take on a Mt. Ararat team that hasn't played as difficult of a schedule, but has a very nice win over Bangor.
At a glance, I thought the Model was too high on Edward Little and maybe it is, but I see where the math is coming from. This is the point in the season where the rankings really start to click in.
The Model's picks for the rest of today's games are after the jump.