The snow is melting. Pitchers and catchers have reported to baseball and softball practices across the state. But before the winter sports season officially gives way to the spring, hoops fans have one last chance this weekend to see Maine’s top players take to the hardwood.

South Portland High’s Keegan Hyland will be one of the participants in Saturday’s MBR.org Maine Top 40 Player Showcase, an invitation-only boys high school basketball exhibition event, to be held at St. Joseph’s College in Standish beginning at 3 p.m.

The showcase will feature 40 of Maine’s top high school boys divided into four teams. Each team will play two games. Games are slated to start at 3 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Admission to view all four games is $3. The event is intended to promote Maine’s top players to college coaches in New England.

The rosters were not finalized at the Current’s deadline, but MBR.org president Tom Nolette provided a partial list of confirmed participants. Hyland, a junior, averaged nearly 28 points a game to lead the SMAA. He was named SMAA co-MVP along with Cheverus senior Mick DiStasio. He led the Red Riots, who did not have a senior on their roster, to a 14-4 regular season record and the No. 3 seed in the Class A West tournament. The Riots lost to Portland in the quarterfinals.

Hyland put on a memorable performance during the past season in his team’s 72-67 road win over Thornton Academy in January, scoring 47 points. Thornton won last month’s Class A Gold Ball.

Other confirmed players representing the SMAA will be Thornton seniors James Morse and Ian Barwise, Cheverus senior Peter Foley and junior Indiana Faithfull, Westbrook juniors Nich Jobin and Dominic Borelli, and Portland juniors Koang Thok and Walter Stover.

Tom Knight of Dirigo, the recently crowned Maine Mr. Basketball, will also be playing. He shot over 65 percent from the floor while averaging more than 22 points and 11 rebounds a game for Dirigo, which fell in the Class C state title game to Calais. The 6’9″ Knight accepted a full basketball scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

Also confirmed to play are Edward Little’s Corey Therriault and James Philbrook, Calais’ Cal Shorey, Freeport’s Jon Klages, Greely’s Trevor Tierney, Hampden Academy’s Jacob Moore, Falmouth’s Stefano Mancini, Maranacook’s Ben Johnson, Bangor’s Zach Blodgett, and Camden Hills’ Graham Safford and Tyler McFarland.

Adam Finkelstein of New England Recruiting Report will be MBR’s guest on Saturday as he evaluates Maine players for his recruiting service, which hosts the New England Elite 75 Showcase at Boston University in April.


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