Messalonskee’s Dan Parent (1) tries to defend Lawrence’s Parker Higgins (11) as he drives to the basket in the first half during a boys basketball game Tuesday in Fairfield. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

AUGUSTA — There’s still regular-season basketball to be played, but with preliminary round games only two weeks away, we’re beginning to get a good picture of where the 2022-23 season is headed.

Some teams have established themselves as the elite of Maine high school basketball in their respective classes; others are out of the running while some are in between as the final stretch of the regular season provides some of the final chances for Heal points that could give some much-needed boosts in the standings.

“It’s an incredibly crucial time of year because you want to finish your schedule as hard as you can,” said Winthrop head coach Todd MacArthur. “If you win, you enter (the tournament) strong, and if not, you have to live with where you end up because you don’t know what’s going to happen with the field.”

In Class A North, several central Maine teams are trailing undefeated Brewer for the top spot. Although the 15-0 Witches can’t be overtaken for the No. 1 seed, they’ve also looked more human as of late with many of their early- and mid-January wins coming down to the wire.

Mt. Blue (10-4) and Nokomis (11-5) have been among the teams to challenge Brewer recently, and those two teams have begun to separate themselves for the other top-three seeds. Cony (8-6), Skowhegan (8-6) and Lawrence (8-7) have all proven to be tough outs, and Messalonskee (6-9), ranked seventh, is one of the hottest teams around.

“It’s really wide open,” said Mt. Blue head coach Troy Norton. “Nokomis has really taken a step forward. We’re playing really well right now, but if we get the 2 seed, we’d probably get Messalonskee, and they’re playing as well as anyone. The tournament is going to be crazy.”

With wins over Oceanside and Lawrence to their name, the No. 2 Winslow boys (13-1) have established quite the résumé in Class B North. Mount View (seventh place, 7-6) is looking to secure a home prelim game in B North, while Waterville (14th place, 4-10) and Maine Central Institute (16th, 3-12) are on the outside looking in.

In Class B South, the Maranacook boys have some work to do to hang on to a home prelim game after four straight defeats have dropped the Black Bears (7-7) to eighth place. Oak Hill (3-12), last in the 16-team region, is out of the running despite a couple of recent wins.

Richmond’s Koleman Krosser, left, and Wiscasset’s Ismael Martinez fight for a rebound during a Dec . 1 scrimmage at Wiscasset Middle High School. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Then, there’s Class C South, where central Maine teams are always a key part of the show. As of Wednesday, Monmouth Academy, Richmond, Mt. Abram, Carrabec, Madison, Hall-Dale and Winthrop are all in the top 12, which would mean tournament berths for all seven local teams in the region.

Two of Monmouth (third place, 11-3), Richmond (fourth place, 11-2) and Mt. Abram (fifth place, 11-3) will finish in the top four and earn byes to the quarterfinals. Carrabec (sixth, 9-6), Madison (seventh, 7-7), Hall-Dale (10th, 6-7) and Winthrop (11th, 8-8) are still jockeying for seedings.

“You’ve got Dirigo at the top, and they’re a tremendous ball club, and I also think Monmouth can beat anyone on any given night,” MacArthur said. “I’ve been around 13 years, and for Class C South, this is the toughest I can remember it. The field is so deep, and it’s been a hard year to be fighting for a playoff spot.”

Reigning regional champion Forest Hills (first place, 13-2) and Valley (second place, 10-5) are leading the way in the boys field in Class D South. Temple Academy (sixth, 3-11) is sitting pretty in terms of qualification and plays three of its final four games against winless North Haven and Pine Tree Academy teams.

On the girls side, Gardiner has locked up Class A North’s No. 1 seed at 16-0. Lawrence (second place, 13-2) and Cony (third place, 12-3) are also contenders in a field that will include three other local teams in Nokomis (fifth, 9-7), Skowhegan (sixth, 6-8) and Erskine Academy (seventh, 4-11). 

Cony’s Maci Freeman, left, successfully passes past Gardiner’s Lizzy Gruber during a girls basketball game Tuesday in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“When you’re on the tournament stage, it comes down to heart and who wants it more,” said Nokomis head coach Chelsea Crockett. “You look at the Gardiner-Cony game last night, and that was super close, and the Cony-Mt. Blue game was close, and I think that really shows how tight it is on any given night.”

MCI (10th place, 10-5) is looking at a likely road prelim game in Class B North, and Mount View (12th, 4-9) is on the fence. In B South, Maranacook (sixth, 8-6) and Oak Hill (10th, 7-8) will look to hang on to the region’s final bye and overall bid, respectively.

Although North Yarmouth Academy (first place, 14-1) and Old Orchard Beach (third place, 13-3) give southern Maine two contenders in Class C South, those teams will be forced to take down a slew of local teams in Augusta. Topping that list are No. 2 Kents Hill (second, 14-0) and reigning state champ Hall-Dale (fourth, 13-2).

Madison’s Jacey Moody (12) battles for the rebound with Mt. Abram’s Kharlie Turner (23) during a girls basketball game Jan. 27 in Madison. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Central Maine teams also occupy the next five places with Richmond (12-3) fifth, Monmouth (10-3) sixth, Winthrop (11-5) seventh, Carrabec (6-7) eighth and Madison (9-6) ninth. In 13th, Mt. Abram (5-8) is one spot shy of the 12th and final tournament spot. Only the top-four teams in the region earn byes.

Just as Forest Hills and Valley are leading the way in the Class D North boys ranks, the Tigers (10-5, second) and Cavaliers (12-3, first) are also doing so on the girls’ side. Temple (2-12), currently ninth, needs at least one more win to earn a place in the eight-team field.