Dexter’s Grant named to 44th BDN All-Maine Schoolgirl Basketball Team

A sophomore who was the sixth player on a senior-laden team a year ago has emerged as first-team selection this season on the 44th Bangor Daily News All-Maine Schoolgirl Basketball Team.

Guard Jaycie Christopher of Skowhegan, the Kennebec Valley Conference Class A Player of the Year, turned in a remarkable season despite being opponents’ primary defensive focus.

She is joined on the First Team by senior guard Julia Colby of Oxford Hills in South Paris, Kennebunk junior forward-center Emily Archibald, South Portland senior guard Maggie Whitmore and Portland junior guard Amanda Kabantu.

The All-Maine teams are chosen by the BDN Sports staff with input from coaches, officials, administrators and other veteran observers statewide.

Freshman phenom Lizzy Gruber of Gardiner headlines the All-Maine Second Team along with senior guard Brooke Obar and junior guard Camille Clement, both from Greely of Cumberland Center, Portland junior guard Gemima Motema and Sanford senior forward Paige Cote.

The Third Team is composed of seniors Lexi Mittelstadt of Mt. Blue in Farmington, Cecelia Dieterich of Oxford Hills, Windham’s Hannah Talon, Gray-New Gloucester’s Jordan Grant and junior Peyton Grant of Dexter.

Grant

Mt. Blue’s Mittelstadt averaged 17.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists, despite being the focus of opponents’ defensive schemes. She is headed to UMaine.

“Every season, she improves some part of her game dramatically,” Mt. Blue coach Fred Conlogue said. “She is a very good ballhandler. And to average 10.1 rebounds as a point guard is something. She trains like a pro.”

Windham’s Talon, who will attend St. Joseph’s College in Standish, was Class AA North’s No. 2 scorer (15.9 ppg) despite coming off knee surgery.

“She put on so much muscle rehabbing her knee, she really became a significant outside threat to go with her ability to attack the rim,” Artes said. “She was our only senior and led the way for us.”

Dieterich, who is going to play soccer at Division III Carnegie Mellon, complemented Colby perfectly during Oxford Hills’s state championship run. She averaged 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

“She is the toughest player I have ever coached. She is an absolute warrior,” Pelletier said. “She dove for balls, took charges. She handled the ball well and distributed it well.”

Jordan Grant produced 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.8 assists for Gray-New Gloucester. The Westfield State-bound player, who often was double- or triple-teamed, can really run the floor for a 5-11 center.

“She is super fast. A lot of her points came off fast breaks. She would get the rebound and beat the other bigs down the court,” Andreasen said.

Houlton Pioneer Times file photo/Joseph Cyr
AMONG MAINE’S BEST — Peyton Grant of Dexter drives to the basket while guarded by Central Aroostook’s Sydney Garrison during a Class C North semifinal at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Grant has been named to the BDN All-Maine Schoolgirl Basketball Team.

Peyton Grant is another player who faces a number of defenses designed to stop her, but Dexter’s floor leader still averaged 19 points per game. The point guard led the Tigers to a 15-5 season while providing 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.6 assists per game.

“She didn’t have as much help as she had in the past but she continues to find ways to get better,” said her father and coach, Jody Grant. “Not many players get defended like she does.”