2016 mbhof bio briefs

Dean Smith

Dean Smith is a Foxcroft Academy graduate who went on to play at the University of Maine where he was a three -time Academic All-American player. Dean captained the Black Bears his senior season and led the America East in scoring. He received the prestigious Walter Byers Award as the nations top scholar athlete. The University of Maine has established the Dean Smith Award given annually to the top male and female athlete who combines academic and athletic excellence.

Joey DeRoche

Joey DeRoche graduated from Westbrook High School where he was a first team All-S.M.A.A. selection and a Vinal Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the Western Maine tournament. In addition, he led his team to the 1984 State Championship under Hall of Fame coach Art Dyer. DeRoche went on to Thomas College, where he became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,218 points and a two-time NAIA All-American.

Chris Jerome

Chris Jerome graduated from Cheverus High School where he gained All-State honors. Chris started four seasons for Ray Bicknell’s Bowdoin Polar Bears and became the most decorated basketball player in school history. His senior season saw Chris average a double –double, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per contest. In 1982-83 Chris was named New England Division Three Player of the Year. In addition, Chris was named an Academic All American. He left Bowdoin with records as playing the most games ( 90), career leader in rebounds, and second in career points. He was the only person ever to lead his team in scoring and rebounding four seasons in a row.

Meaghan Lane Kolyszko

Meaghan Lane Kolyszko helped led Cony High School to two State Championships as Cony bagan their march to Gold Ball glory from 1987-1990. The scrappy guard was a tough defender and 3-point shooter. She still shares a record with 10, 3-pointers in the Class A tourney. After high school Meaghan attended the University of New Hampshire after

transferring from Boston University. Meaghan went into coaching after her playing days were over as an assistant at Colby College.

Mike McGee

Mike McGee was a high school standout at Lawrence High School in Fairfield where he led the Bulldogs to the Eastern Maine Championship in 1976. He was an All-American at Colby College his sophomore season and was the fastest player in school history to reach the 1000- point plateau. After transferring to Clark University, he scored 2175 points and once again was named All-American. As a coach, Mike won two state championships and won over 350 wins. Mike was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

John Jordan

John Jordan attended Falmouth High School where the 6’7” center drove opponents crazy with his all around skills. After high school John put in a year of post-graduate work at MCI where he led the Prep team to their first New England Championship in ten years. But, is was at USM where John established himself as the greatest player in the school’s history. John left USM as its leading career scorer and rebounder. John’s dominance helped lead the Huskies to a four- year record of 81-28. He finished his career as a four-time All-WMAC first team selection and was named to the All-Maine team four times, earning first team honors in 1978, 1979 and 1981.  Additionally, Jordan earned NAIA District 5 first team honors all four seasons and was named to the NCAA New England Division III second team in 1981.  In 1979, Jordan was selected as an NAIA All-American honorable mention student-athlete, finishing the season as the fifth leading rebounder in the nation with 536 caroms. 

Kevin Whitmore

Kevin Whitmore helped lead Waterville High School to the State Championship in 1985 where they defeated South Portland High School at the Bangor Auditorium. Kevin was a second team All- State selection in 1986 and a first team selection in 1987, before enrolling in Dartmouth College. After one year at Dartmouth, Kevin returned to Waterville to play for his dad, legendary coach Dick Whitmore. Kevin was a 1991 All-American for the Mules and finished with 1,357 points in just three seasons (76 games) after transferring from Dartmouth College. Despite playing just three years, Kevin still ranks 12th all-time in scoring at Colby. He was a deadly 3-point shooter, nailing 188 3-pointers in his three seasons at Colby.

Matt Rossignol

Matt Rossignol is a Maine high school legend as this high scoring, high- octane performer delighted hoop fans during his entire playing career. Rossignol, who played for Van Buren High School, scored 2,257 points in his high school career, and tossed in 51 in the 1985 Eastern Class B semifinals against Schenck of East Millinocket. That year he set two regional records that still stand: points (103) and field goals (37). After high school, Matt attended the University of Maine where he played for Hall of Famer Skip Chappelle. While at Maine, he scored 1,297 career points. He also had a big hand in perhaps the program’s signature victory, an 84-81 win over Michigan State in 1986 at the Auditorium. He scored 23 points, hitting 5 of 9 3-point shots. Matt has coached at the high school level for over twenty years.

Tony Hamlin

Tony Hamlin, a Milo native was an outstanding high school player who went on to become a three -year starter at the University of Maine. He coached at MCI, Morse High School, South Portland High School and Penquis Valley High School and in the process won 400 games, which included three State Championships and five Regional titles. Tony has been active in all facets of basketball; he served as chairman of MPA Basketball Commission , and was the MABC representative to the Commission for six years. Tony is the only coach to have won a tournament game at the Bangor Auditorium in each of five decades. He is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors. He was awarded the Bob Brown Contributor’s Award by the Maine Association of Coaches in 2015.

Gregg Frame

Gregg Frame was an unusual point guard. He was big, physical, and willing to rebound with the bigger players while firing a perfect pass to a teammate on a fastbreak. As a Waterville High school player, Gregg led his team with 26 p.p.g. and 13 rebounds per game and was named the Player of the Year in Central Maine. After high school Greg attended Phillips Exeter Academy where he led his team to the New England Championship and was recruited to attend Dartmouth College. He led Dartmouth in scoring (11.3 points per game) and rebounding his sophomore season and was second on the team with 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds a game his junior year. In his final season at Dartmouth Frame was the only Ivy League player to be among the league’s top-10 in scoring, rebounding, assists and field goal percentage. He left Dartmouth as a 1000- point scorer.

Raymond Alley

Raymond Alley became a Maine legend as a high school player at Vinalhaven High School where he became the all time leading scorer in Maine high school history. He scored over 2000 points as both a high school and college player. While at Husson College, Ray was named to the NAIA Division 2 All-America team two consecutive years and was chosen the Fleet Bank/Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons. He left Husson as the all-time scoring leader with 2671 points to break Dana Wilson’s mark of 2471. As a college player, Alley shot 42.5 percent from 3-point land and over 80 percent from the foul line.

Fern Masse

Fern Masse has been a basketball fixture in the Lewiston – Auburn area for more than 50 years. The long time coach of the Lewiston Blue Devils, Fern has earned the respect of the Maine basketball community for his consistent contributions to the game he loves. His Lewiston teams twice won the Western Maine tournament and his forty -year run as Lewiston coach is one of the longest in Maine history, 1958-1998. He has directed Hoop Camp in Casco for over 45 years and has impacted thousands of young players as lecturer, coach, and mentor. Fern was honored with the MABC Contributor Award in 1992.

Kevin Nelson

Kevin Nelson led his Foxcroft Academy Ponies to a State Championship in 1975 as a two time first team All-State selection became a household name in Maine basketball folklore. The 6’ 8 ” lefthander graduated as the career scoring leader at Foxcroft. He became a three -year starter at the University of Maine and was a key member during his tenure along with teammates Roger Lapham, Rufus Harris, and Wally Russell.

Ed Guiski

This Winslow native was a dominating force as a player in high school and at Gorham State College. Graduating from Winslow High School in 1955 he was a standout athlete earning 16 varsity letters in football, basketball, track and baseball. Following high school, Ed continued his education at Maine Central Institute before attending Boston University for two years on a basketball and football scholarship. Ed completed his education at Gorham State College (University of Southern Maine). Ed played basketball at Gorham State College and was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1967 Ed and his wife Janet moved their young family to Dexter where he coached for the next 38 years.

Charlie Wootton

This 6’8” center led his Camden- Rockport High School team to the 1974 State Championship. Charlie was a second team All-State selection his junior year and a first team selection his senior season. His high school teams went 45-1 his final two seasons, their only loss was to Orono High school in the State Championship in 1973. Charlie attended Bentley College on a full scholarship and was a three- year starter. He is the only player in Bentley history to average more than 11 rebounds a game for three consecutive years. He was All-New England and an All-American Honorable Mention his junior and senior seasons. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1978 supplemental draft.

Julie Bradstreet

Julie is a graduate of Central Aroostook High School of Mars Hill where she graduated as the schools’ all time leading scorer with 2164 points. She also left high school with over 1000 rebounds. After being named a second team All-State selection her junior year, she was a first team choice as a senior. At the University of Maine Julie co-captained coach Trish Roberts’ team her senior year. She was a second-team All North Atlantic Conference player for two years and was a two- year NAC All-Academic team selection.

I.J. Pinkham

I.J. Pinkham played his high school ball for legendary coach Jerry Kane at Milbridge High School. He went on to play four years of basketball at the University of Maine Farmington. I.J. started coaching at Buckfield High School six seasons before moving onto Boothbay High School where he has coached for over 35 years. I.J. recently won his 600^th game, the most wins of any high school coach in Maine history. His 2001 Boothbay team won the class C State Championship.

Ron Marks

Ron Marks coached for 20 years in Eastern Maine at Sherman , Katahdin, Schenck, and Foxcroft Academy. His teams won 312 games including 36 tournament games and he had a winning percentage of 78 %. He won three State Championships, six Eastern Maine Championships and was named Coach of the Year three times. He also was an official for forty years, officiating in the tournament twenty different seasons.

Richard “ Doc” Costello

“ Doc” Costello was the living embodiment of the University of Southern Maine. He coached both men’s and women’s basketball, winning over 200 games with each gender; the only coach in NCAA history to do so. He was named Athletic Director of USM in 1955 and dedicated himself to his beloved university the rest of his life. The University named its sports complex after him; it is known as the “ Costello Sports Complex”

Len MacPhee

Len McPhee is a long time coach of the University of Maine at Farmington where he coached for 31 years, 24 with the men’s program and 7 as the women’s head coach. His teams won 322 games. His women’s teams made back to back NAIA appearances in 1995 and 1996. Len also served the school at the Athletic Director and retired in 2001 after 36 years of service. While in high school, Len starred on State Championship teams at both Cape Elizabeth and South Portland High Schools. He attended the University of Maine where he excelled at basketball and baseball. He coached at Rangely High School and at MCI for the Preppers before heading to UMF.

Bob McAllister

Bob McAllister made his mark on the Maine basketball scene in a memorable overtime win over Brewer High School in the 1959 tournament at the Bangor Auditorium in front of 6000 fans. Bob’s team lost in the finals to Bangor despite his 28 points. After high school, Bob accepted a scholarship to the University of Rhode Island. He became the only Maine official to referee in the NBA in the late 1970’s. He continued to officiate high school and college basketball in the Portland, Oregon area for many years. Bob still serves the Pac – 10 and the NBA as an official “ Observer of Officiating” in the Northwest.

Don Sturgeon

Don Sturgeon was a first team selection to the All State team in 1957 and a second-team selection in 1956. He was a key member of the Old Town State Championship team in 1957 and coached his alma mater to the 1967 State title. Don was a four year letter winner at the University of Maine and led UMaine in scoring and rebounding in the 1958-‘59 season. Don ranks 12^th in the UMaine record book for career rebounds. He received All-American honorable mention in 1959-60.

Legends of the Hall

Jim Connellan – 1891-1963 James Connellan was the architect of the T defense, a Three One One collapsing zone .  He spent more than four decades working with basketball programs in Maine, coaching championship teams at Cony, Winslow, Cheverus, Rockland and Portland.  His T defense was used at Cony, Winslow and Westbrook Junior College, and at Cheverus to win a State Championship.   The Cheverus team was the last team to beat Waterville in 1943, before Waterville’s 67 game winning streak.  He served as a mentor to basketball coaches throughout Maine.  Connellan also won consecutive Maine State Basketball Championships as a player for Portland High School in 1910 and 1911.  

Dick Doyle was the premier sports writer in Maine as this respected scribe covered sports for 44 years for the Portland Press Herald. A true gentleman, Dick always emphasized the positive in covering young athletes. Dick died in 2005 at the age of 86.

Eddie Griffin was a colorful sports figure in Southern Maine for over forty years as he sponsored the Griffin Club semi-pro basketball team that showcased some of the state’s great hoopsters. Eddie donated thousands of dollars to youth programs; he died in 1993 at the age of 65.

Dewey Dewitt is a legendary sports writer and announcer in Aroostook County. In the County, Dewey Dewitt is a living legend in the sports casting genre.  For decades, he called play-by-play, interviewed and reported on all the great names of county coaches and players in high school basketball. Dewey is a member of the Maine Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Terry Healey was a standout basketball player for Stearns High school in 1953 and 1954. He was named to the All-state team both of those seasons and was considered one of the top performers in Maine as coach George Wentworth was establishing his legendary program in Millinocket.

The 1995 Cony girls’ team

Of all the great Cony teams of the 90’s, the 1995 lady Rams set the standard for excellence. They went undefeated on their way to the State Championship. The 1995 team ran, pressed and shot 3-pointers, averaging 74 points a game while allowing only 41.