BANGOR — Kyle Bouchard of Houlton High School is Mr. Maine Basketball and Ashley Storey of Greely is Miss Maine Basketball for 2015.
Bouchard and Storey received the awards on Friday night at the Cross Insurance Center. Since 1988, the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches has presented the awards annually to the top senior male and female basketball players in the state.
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“It’s such a prestigious award. To win it is so humbling,” Bouchard said. “I’m so honored to be Mr. Maine Basketball.”
“I’m just very excited. I don’t even know how to put it into words,” Storey said.
Storey, a 6-foot-3 center, led the Western Maine Conference with 20.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while also ranking in the top 10 in assists and steals. She was named the most outstanding player in the Western Class B tournament, then led the Rangers to the state title with a 56-39 win over Presque Isle. A four-time WMC all-star, she became the first Greely girls player to score 1,000 points in her career.
Storey celebrated the award with her family, Greely and AAU teammates and members of the Class A/B West All-Star team that she will be playing with in Saturday’s Maine McDonald’s All-Star games.
Becoming the second Greely star to win the award (Morgan DiPiettro was the 2001 Miss Maine Basketball) capped a dream season for the University of New Hampshire-bound Storey.
“It was a lot of hard work and effort and encouraging everyone and being a leader,” she said.
Hannah Graham of Presque Isle and Victoria Lux of Thornton Academy were the other Miss Basketball finalists.
“Winning Miss Basketball is pretty special because only one person gets to win it,” Storey said. “I’m just really excited and honored that they chose me. There were a lot of great girls that deserved it as well.”
Bouchard, a 6-foot-5 power forward, scored 1,815 career points and pulled down nearly 800 rebounds. In his career, he led Houlton to a 69-17 record, including a 22-0 season in 2013-14 that ended with a Class C state championship. He led the Shiretowners to three Eastern Maine finals and was twice named the tournament’s most outstanding player. As a senior, he averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
He is the first Mr. Basketball from Houlton in the award’s 28-year history.
“I have an incredible family that has supported me all the way through high school,” he said. “I’ve had incredible teammates. I’ve had an awesome coach and other coaches who have helped me along the way. So many people have assisted me in reaching this point. I’m so appreciative.”
Nick Mayo of Messalonskee and Jack Simonds of Falmouth were the other Mr. Basketball finalists.
“Only three people out of everyone that plays (are named finalists), so it’s definitely a great honor,” said Mayo, a 6-foot-8 center who is headed to Eastern Kentucky University on a full basketball scholarship. “I’m happy for Kyle because it’s well deserved. He represents Maine basketball.”
Mayo and Bouchard were AAU teammates last year on Carl Parker’s all-star 17-and-under team last summer and bonded quickly, Mayo said.
“That first day of AAU we just clicked and became good friends,” he said. “I don’t get to see him too often, but it’s fun seeing him and playing with him. He’s a big man but he handles the ball so well. He’s so versatile.”
The Winthrop boys team and Dirigo girls team were named the Maine Red Claws/Maine McDonald’s Teams of the Year.
Dirigo’s Gabriella Scott and Edward Little’s Ian Mileikis received the Spirit of the Game awards. Sportscaster Don Shields received the Media Award. Former MCI, Morse and Penquis Valley coach Tony Hamlin receied the Bob Brown Contributor Award.
The Maine McDonald’s All-Star Games begin with the state foul shooting championship at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Husson College’s Newman Gymnasium. The Class A/B boys game starts at 9:15 a.m., followed by the A/B girls, the 3-point and slam dunk competitions, the C/D girls and C/D boys games.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door. Net proceeds got to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine.
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