Kennebunk’s Zach MacKinnon is the Journal Tribune’s Boys Basketball MVP.
Players like Massabesic’s Tyus Sprague-Ripley, Old Orchard Beach’s Erik Hogan and Thornton Academy’s Jack Tilley were all in the running for the MVP award, but in the end, it was Kennebunk senior Zach MacKinnon who earned the honor.
MacKinnon scored 18.3 points per game as he led the Rams to their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade.
The senior was thrilled to be able to cap off his career with a trip to the postseason.
“The biggest thing is being able to make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years … that’s what I’m going to remember,” said MacKinnon.
MacKinnon credits Kennebunk coach Barrett Belanger, who took over when MacKinnon was a junior, with instilling the mentality needed to make the playoffs.
“That he was a really young guy and he seemed to know what he was talking about and he just wanted to win,” said MacKinnon on his first impression of Belanger.
Belanger was happy to have a leader like MacKinnon during his first two seasons as head coach.
“He really took on that kind of vocal role this year to keep the guys together,” said Belanger.
The Kennebunk coach believes MacKinnon will prove to be an inspiration to the younger players.
“Zach is one of the hardest working kids I have ever met. The amount of time that he put into basketball is pretty well known with those younger guys and already I’m seeing that they are buying in. They saw what it did for him, so they are starting to buy in and they are all playing out of season as well,” said Belanger.
MacKinnon had a strong role model growing up as his father, Michael. “My dad would always help out with all the coaching. It was good to always have a familiar face around,” said MacKinnon, who would learn over the years that his dad was someone he should lis- ten to. “It’s pretty good going through, but then when I got older, I started to think I knew more than him and we got into some arguments here and there … I know now that he will always know more than what I know.”
One thing that set MacKinnon apart from other local standouts was the fact that he constantly had to fight through double teams in order to put up big numbers.
“He’s at his best as a spot-up shooter, but when you’re such a good shooter, and I would argue that he’s the greatest shooter in Kennebunk history and one of the best shooter’s in the state this year, so when you’re that good, team’s have to change how they play defense on you,” said Belanger.
MacKinnon came into the year knowing he would draw a lot of attention from opposing teams.
“I learned from last year. Last year, towards the second half of the season, teams started doing that,” said MacKinnon. “I learned that when they do that, I may not be the option to score, but I can do other things. I can always play defense and rebound, and I can always facilitate and get guys that are open the ball.”
Belanger believes MacKinnon’s work ethic was key to being able to score despite the constant defensive pressure.
“He really developed his game where even though he was facing the other team’s best player or he was being face guarded or whatever the other team was doing to try and stop him, he really developed his game to the point where he was able to create off the dribble,” said Belanger. “He had a great shot off the dribble, he was great at getting to the basket. Zach was so good at coming off screens that we were setting for him, he was able to free himself up because all he needs is a little bit of space because he’s such a great shooter.”
One thing that helped MacKinnon this season was the emergence of freshman point guard Cam Lovejoy, who is one of the Journal Tribune’s Rookies of the Year.
“It was awesome. Cam and I have been playing basketball together for a couple years on the same AAU team, so I knew him and our families have been really good friends for years and years,” said MacKinnon. “I knew he was a good player and I knew immediately that he could help the team. The one position we were lacking was a true point guard, so I knew right away that he could help us a lot.”
MacKinnon, who is in the process of picking a school where he will study and play basketball, was excited to learn he was named the Most Valuable Player over several other standouts.
“It’s a huge honor. I’ve played with and against those guys for the past couple years,” said MacKinnon.
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.
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