Kelsey Flaherty was a freshman at Bates College, trying out for the women’s basketball team. Brianna Hawkins was a senior at South Portland High, making a campus visit to Bates.

Jim Murphy, the women’s coach at Bates, asked Flaherty to show Hawkins around. Flaherty liked this. She figured it meant she made the team. She also wanted Hawkins to come to Bates. The two had played together at South Portland. In fact, they had been playing together since Flaherty was in the eighth grade, Hawkins in the seventh.

So when Hawkins mentioned that she didn’t like the look of the Bobcats’ practice uniforms, Flaherty did what she felt was necessary to make her friend comfortable: “I lied to her. I told her those weren’t our regular practice uniforms, that they hadn’t arrived yet.”

Well, Hawkins selected Bates, and the two laugh about that little fib to this day.

“Brianna is so much fun to be around,” said Flaherty.

The two are now pivotal players for the 6-7 Bobcats. Flaherty, a senior guard, leads the team with 27.4 minutes per game while scoring 6.5 points and grabbing 4.6 rebounds. She has 16 steals and 32 assists and has hit 23 of 28 foul shots.

Hawkins, a junior post player, leads the Bobcats with 13 blocked shots. She is averaging 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds.

More important, said Murphy, “They’re great kids. They always have a smile on their faces. They’re fun to be around.”

On the court, said Murphy, Flaherty “helps us in all phases of the game. She’s a tough, tough kid. And, frankly, she’s like a coach on the floor a lot of time, getting players where they need to be.”

Hawkins, said Murphy, took a big step forward this year. “She just keeps getting better,” he said. “Her post moves have improved dramatically.”

For the two of them, sharing their college experience has been memorable.

“It’s helped in athletics and outside of athletics,” said Hawkins. “Just to have someone you know and trust it’s been a lot of fun.”

For Flaherty, who will graduate in May with a degree in economics, having Hawkins by her side again has pushed both of them.

“I think that, playing with anyone over a period of time, you learn their tendencies,” said Flaherty. “You know what they’re capable of doing. It’s been a huge advantage. I know how to push her and she knows how to push me.”

She added that Hawkins has improved tremendously in her three years at Bates. “She’s always been talented, but I’ve seen her grow as a hard worker,” said Flaherty.

The Bobcats are only 6-7, but both Flaherty and Hawkins feel this team can make a run in the New England Small College Athletic Conference playoffs. “Our margin of error is razor thin,” said Murphy. “We’re going to be playing teams that are better than us. But we feel we can win those games.”

Flaherty would like to get into the NCAA tournament, something she hasn’t accomplished yet. She just can’t believe her college career will be over after this season.

“It’s been awesome,” she said. “I’m thankful every day that I made the decision to come here. Coach Murphy gets the best out of us. And I’ve loved every single player I’ve ever played with. It’s going to be tough leaving.”

And it will be tough for Hawkins next year. Not only because Flaherty will be gone, but because the expectations will be greater.

“I just think I need to keep working hard and pushing myself,” she said. “There’s definitely a lot of work for next year that needs to be done.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bentley University freshman forward Andrew Shaw of Saco (Thornton Academy) was named Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week recently. Shaw is averaging 10.3 points and 3.8 rebounds for the 11-3 Falcons. In his latest game, Shaw scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed four rebounds to help the Falcons rally past AIC, 61-58.

• Junior forward Chris Young of North Yarmouth (Greely) has played in 12 games for 3-8 Ithaca (N.Y.) College. He is averaging 1.1 points and 1.2 rebounds.

• Sophomore guard Derek Mayo of Casco (Lake Region/Bridgton Academy) is averaging 8.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals for 7-3 Wentworth.

SWIMMING

Freshman Andrew Briggs of York (Berwick Academy) helped Bates defeat Middlebury for the first time in over 20 years in a men’s meet. Briggs won the 200 breast stroke in 2:18.53.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Maine Maritime senior forward Sam Goda of Eliot (Marshwood) was named North Atlantic Conference co-Player of the Week. She averaged 16.5 points and 10 rebounds in helping MMA to a 2-2 week. She scored her 1,000th career point in a win over Colby-Sawyer.

• Colby-Sawyer freshman forward Kelsey Bragdon of Wells was named NAC Rookie of the Week. She averaged 9.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in a 1-1 week for the Chargers.

• Junior forward Claire Baecher of Brunswick is the leading scorer (16.0 points) and rebounder (7.8) for 12-1 Williams College.

• Junior forward Sloane Sorrell of Berwick (Noble) scored a career-high 32 points to help Southern New Hampshire University defeat The College of Saint Rose on Wednesday. Sorrell also had three assists, three steals, three rebounds and two blocked shots. She leads the Penmen in scoring (11.6 points) and rebounding (7.5).

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH