With Morgan Frame, Paige Gardiner, Sarah Given, Jen Nale and Steph Whitten, Waterville has pretty much an all-star starting five in tonight's Class B girls basketball state final against Lake Region.
Lake Region coach Paul True has noticed.
"I think we need to do a lot of things well," True said. "Waterville is a very talented team, and at all five positions. We need to defend Whitten and ball penetration. We need to defend the perimeter shooters in Given and Gardiner and Nale, and obviously we need to keep a body on Frame and rebound inside."
The game will tip off at 7:05 p.m., at the Bangor Auditorium, and is a rematch of last year's state final, won by Waterville, 52-51 in overtime. That was the last time Waterville was held under 54 points in a game. The Purple Panthers have won 43 straight and are 21-0 this season, while Lake Region is 19-2.
"We've been the underdog quite a few times here in the West," said True, the former coach at Skowhegan. "We're looking for a great challenge, and hopefully we can make it a great basketball game."
Waterville has an edge in height, especially when it comes to Frame, a 6-foot junior center who is averaging 22 points per game in the playoffs and finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots against the Lakers in last year's state final. Lake Region's tallest player is sophomore forward Morgan Mcclean at 5-9, and the Lakers will need to keep Frame from dominating on the boards.
"I'd say that's a concern for every opponent she plays against, whether you have a 6-footer or not," True said. "We've been small in every game we've played, and we'll do our best to keep a body on her."
While Lake Region is used to being the underdog, Waterville is used to being the favorite this season. Only twice all winter have the Panthers trailed at halftime. One of those games was Waterville's last one, in the regional final against Mattanawcook.
Waterville ended that game on a 26-5 run, and the only other times the Panthers' unbeaten record was in jeopardy, they made similar late charges against Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B rivals Gardiner and Mt. View.
"In a way, I still feel that a lot of people do look at us as the underdogs," Given said, "because a lot of people put down the KVAC and say, 'Oh, Waterville's No.1 because they aren't playing anybody,' when really we're a great team, and I think we've proven it lately."
Matt DiFilippo -- 861-9243
mdifilippo@centralmaine.com
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