Nokomis freshman Cooper Flagg shoots over a teammate during a Nov. 30 boys basketball practice in Newport. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Cooper and Ace Flagg haven’t played an official game for the Nokomis boys basketball team yet, but it doesn’t matter.

The secret’s out. It’s been out for a while. The best basketball prospects this area has seen in years — decades even — have arrived and will make their varsity debuts, and the 587-student school in Newport is already sitting in center stage, in the glare of the spotlight of the state’s hoops scene.

Normally, it takes a few games for the season’s storylines to start sorting themselves out. Not this time.

“This past week, you could just feel it,” Nokomis coach Earl Anderson said on Nov. 21. “They’ve been chomping at the bit for quite a long time. They love to play. They love the game. And they just can’t wait to play.”

And people can’t wait to watch. The twins, 6-foot-6 Ace and 6-foot-7 Cooper, have been making national waves since their middle school days and earlier, and Cooper has gotten coaches talking about Division I power conference interest. Cooper’s legend, already generational in its size, has only grown this fall as clips of his weaving through defenses and throwing down dunks have begun to circulate online.

One central Maine coach called him “stupid good.” It’s the second straight year one area player has been the talk of the state going in, but while eventual Mr. Maine Basketball winner Cash McClure was being recognized for the completion of a stellar career, Cooper has everyone in the basketball scene wondering what in the world could be ahead.

The hype and focus on Nokomis is significant and they’re only going to get bigger, but Anderson said his team is looking forward to being the center of attention.

“There’s none of that jealousy and concern. They’re all super excited,” he said. “For the older kids that are returning, they’re just excited about the fact that we have potential to be a very, very good team.”

As for how Cooper is handling it?

Skowhegan’s Adam Savage shoots a free throw during a Jan. 15, 2021 game against Mt. Blue in Skowhegan. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“He’s a very level-headed kid, on and off the floor,” Anderson said. “He’s very grounded. He’s a hard worker in the classroom and on the court, and he’s a great kid and a great teammate. I can’t imagine any 14-year-old freshman handling it any better.”

With the Flagg twins joining an already strong cast that includes brother Hunter Flagg and Madden White, the Warriors are an immediate favorite in an A North field that no longer includes perennial power Hampden. They won’t be alone, however. Brewer has been on the rise and returns four starters, and Skowhegan, led by returning starters Adam Savage, Collin LePage, Kyle LePage (all of whom are over 6-5) and Levi Obert, will again be one of the most formidable teams in the region in the paint.

“It’s a luxury, for sure, to have the size that we do,” Skowhegan coach Tom Nadeau said. “They’re a year older, so the maturity piece is going to be a big piece. Last year there were some times when we struggled against more mature, more experienced players.”

Cony came in fourth in the KVAC coaches’ poll. The Rams, with shooters Luke Briggs, Parker Sergent, Kam Douin and Brady Hopkins back, should resume their familiar identity of being dangerous from the outside, but limited inside with a lack of size.

“I think the top three teams in our poll are three of the best teams in the state, regardless (of class),” Cony coach T.J. Maines said. “But I think that some of the other teams in our league, including us, have a puncher’s chance. We shoot the ball incredibly well. In the playoffs, we have a chance to beat anyone.”

Camden Hills and Gardiner, which has one of the region’s best players in Kalvin Catchings and an experienced lineup, ranked fifth and sixth in the poll, respectively.

Cony’s Kam Douin, left, defends Winslow’s Jason Reynolds during a Jan. 22, 2021 game in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Few regions were strengthened more by realignment than Class B South, with winning programs Leavitt, York and Medomak Valley moving down into an already competitive field, one that was won in 2019-20 and very well might have been again last season by Maranacook.

“B South is loaded this year. Reclassification made pretty much every class weaker, except B South,” coach Travis Magnusson said. “The landscape looks a lot different than it did even for that team that went to the state championship.”

The Black Bears saw all five seniors and six of their top seven players graduate. Magnusson, however, said this group, led now by Tyler Hreben, Brayden St. Pierre and Chris Reid, could still be tough.

“We definitely shoot it well,” he said. “The only way they’re going to be able to play against the best teams is if they play defense. We can’t just play solid defense. We have to be the best defensive team in Class B if we’re going to have a chance to make a run.”

In B North, Winslow will be a team to watch with the return of junior Jason Reynolds — the fourth-highest scorer and second-leading rebounder in the KVAC last year — and Andrew Poulin. MCI will try to offset some graduation losses and Waterville will look for a turnaround under new coach Sam Smith.

Winthrop’s Logan Baird passes the ball to a teammate during a March 4, 2021 game against Carrabec in Winthrop. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The Mountain Valley Conference has a pair of favorites in Spruce Mountain and Dirigo, but Winthrop coach Todd MacArthur said there’s a substantial group of teams. including his own. Hall-Dale, Oak Hill and Monmouth should also be right in the mix, he said.

The Ramblers, who won the last two Class C championships, will be led by Robby Feeney, Logan Baird and Andrew Foster, and as always can’t be counted out.

“We’re not looking at it in terms of where do we lie right now,” MacArthur said. “We want to be the best team we can be come February. … We’re trying to make a commitment to our defensive mentality and being one of the best defensive teams in the conference.”

Forest Hills, led by junior Mason Desjardins and senior Jackman Daigle, will try to maintain superiority in the East/West Conference and Class D.