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The Mt. Ararat girls basketball team will play a Class A South quarterfinal game play Monday, 10 days after the regular season finale. Coach Julie Petrie said the long layoff has been tough as the top-seeded Eagles are itching to compete.

While tournament play is under way in other regions, most Midcoast teams won’t hit the Portland Expo and Augusta Civic Center courts until the weekend.

Here’s what to keep in mind before the tips-off:

Girls basketball

For the second-year in a row, Mt. Ararat (16-2) earned the No. 1 seed in Class A South. With all five starters back from a team that reached the regional final last season, the Eagles seek their first state championship game appearance in program history.

The first step comes Monday night at the Portland Expo against No. 8 Westbrook (8-10).

“I feel like our defensive intensity has been a big focus (since the last game against Westbrook), as well as transitioning up the court and using each possession with purpose,” Petrie said. “Westbrook is quick and scrappy with some strong shooters, so we will have to make sure that we are doing the little things on the defensive end consistently to contain them.”

The Eagles beat the Blue Blazes, 67-54 in the regular season.

Mt. Ararat, winners of 11 straight, relies on its quick hands on defense and a quick transition offense.

Senior guard Cali Pomerleau leads the team in scoring (13.5 points per game) and is the primary facilitator. Pomerleau is also shooting 51% from 3-point range. She has options, too, especially in Julianna Allen (11.2 ppg). The junior forward is an inside threat on both ends of the court, leading Mt. Ararat in rebounds (5.5) and blocks (1.8) per game.

Petrie says  the team will need to adjust quickly to the Expo environment and continue to rely on their complete and unselfish style of play. Senior guard Kennedy Lampert, junior forward Kayleigh Wagg and juniors Jenna and Jaelyn Jensen are all primed for big performances on offense or defense.

If Mt. Ararat reaches the regional semifinals on Feb. 19, it will play either No. 4 Freeport or No. 5 Brunswick. Those teams meet in a quarterfinal game Monday at 4:30 p.m. in Portland. The Eagles defeated both teams twice in the regular season.

Brunswick (9-9), the defending Class A champion, came into this season knowing its strengths were not the same as years past.

After starting 5-1, including a nine-point win over Freeport (11-7), a slew of injuries prevented momentum and consistency to carry over into the New Year. Brunswick went 2-7 in its next nine games, including multiple losses by 20-plus points and a nine-point road to the Falcons.

Head coach Sam Farrell says the team is finally healthy and confident.

Senior forward Lexi Morin, the two-time A South tournament MVP and Miss Maine basketball semifinalist, will lead the way on both ends of the court. Senior point guard Eva Harvie will control the pace, and sophomore forward Jules Morin can be another factor in the post. Senior guard Kyra Fortier returns from an ankle injury and will give the Dragons good looks from beyond the arc and added possessions with her defense.

Brunswick will be counting on their collective big-game experience to push them through the tournament.

“Lexi, Eva and Kyra have played more games on the Expo floor than most kids in the state,” Farrell said. “They need to lead us in skill, effort and toughness. They’ve played together since they were little, and they need to gel to win games.”

Also necessary to win games, whether against Freeport or any other Class A opponent, is defense and rebounding.

On the other side, first-year Freeport coach Joel Rogers, who led the Greely girls to a Class B championship 10 years ago, will look to continue his team’s second-half momentum.

The Falcons started 2-5 before winning nine of their final 11 games. Senior Maddie Cormier, junior Emily Groves and sophomore Abby Giroux are scoring threats.

Brunswick shut down Freeport in last year’s quarterfinals, 59-16.

Boys basketball

Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022, fifth-seeded Brunswick is looking to make a mark in the A South tournament.

Brunswick (10-8) has had a bit of an up and down season, sandwiching a six-game losing skid around four- and five-game winning streaks. Brunswick will play No. 4 Kennebunk (12-6) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

“If we can play with poise and composure and at the pace we want, we’ll be in good shape,” Brunswick head coach Ben Clark said. “During these past seven games (6-1 in that stetch), we’ve really taken care of the ball and limited our turnovers. That’s easier said than done against a team like Kennebunk, but I think it will determine the outcome of the game.”

The teams did not meet in the regular season, but Clark knows the defensive gameplan will be centered around disrupting senior guards Theo Pow, a Mr. Maine Basketball semifinalist, and Cole Perkins, while limiting the Rams’ transition game.

On offense, the Dragons will continue a balanced attack. Junior guard Brendan Shaw leads the team in scoring (12.1) and steals (1.8) and has a knack for getting to the line and knocking down free throws. Senior forward Trevor Gerrish (10.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg) and sophomore forward Rylan Ley (6.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg) have the ability to control the boards on both ends and can draw multiple defenders down low. Junior guard Logan Gray is reliable on defense and adds 7.5 points a game.

The winner will play top-seeded Noble (16-2) or eighth-seeded Marshwood (8-10) in the regional semifinals.

Moving north to the Augusta Civic Center, No. 4 Richmond (10-8) faces No. 5 Hall-Dale (12-6) in the Class C South quarterfinals.

Richmond, which only played five games against Class C opponents, and Hall-Dale, which played six games against Class B opponents, did not play this season.

“We’re really excited for the tournament and the chance to prove ourselves against some of the bigger schools,” Richmond head coach Nathan Schultz said. “The tough games against Monmouth and Valley at the end of the season were great learning experiences, especially in terms of ball control and offensive execution. We’ve taken those lessons to heart, and we’re ready to compete at a high level.”

Over the last few weeks, senior guard Ben Fournier has found an offensive rhythm, junior guard/forward David Edwards has increased his rebounding totals and senior forward Jacob Gay has stepped up as a defensive standout.

The winner will play either top-seeded Mt. Abram (17-1) or eighth-seeded Dirigo (11-8) on Feb. 20.

After years of winless seasons in C South, Wiscasset has reached double-digit wins and qualified for the Class D South tournament for a second straight year.

The sixth-seeded Wolverines (11-7) will take on No. 3 Telstar/Gould (13-5) at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday.

“We will need to play near perfect to pull off the upset,” Wiscasset head coach Jamey Roy said. “Telstar has size, plays great defense and can shoot the three extremely well. We will need to minimize our turnovers and win the rebounding battle to stay competitive. We absolutely must limit Telstar’s offensive rebounds — second chance points will need to be eliminated.”

Matchups

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

9 a.m., No. 6 Wiscasset (11-7) vs. No. 3 Telstar (13-5), D South Boys, Augusta Civic Center

7:30 p.m., No. 5 Brunswick (10-8) vs. No. 4 Kennebunk (12-6), A South Boys, Portland Expo

MONDAY, FEB. 17

4:30 p.m., No. 4 Freeport (11-7) vs. No. 5 Brunswick (9-9), A South Girls, Portland Expo

6 p.m., No. 1 Mt. Ararat (16-2) vs. No. 8 Westbrook (8-10), A South Girls, Portland Expo

7 p.m., No. 4 Richmond (10-8) vs. No. 5 Hall-Dale (12-6), C South Boys, Augusta Civic Center