John Donato has used many words or phrases to describe Nia Irving. Recently, the Lawrence High girls’ basketball coach used a new one when talking about his star player.
“She was like a mother this year,” he said. “All the sophomores were following her around, they wanted to be with her.”
TELEGRAM GIRLS' BASKETBALL ALL-STATE TEAM
Alisha Aube, Westbrook junior, guard: A dead-eye shooter, the 6-foot Aube has the ability to play inside or out. She averaged 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals. Aube has 932 career points and 299 rebounds. She is being recruited by several Division I schools.
Kolleen Bouchard, Houlton sophomore, forward: The 5-foot-10 Bouchard is an inside-outside threat. In two years, she has scored 900 points, with 376 rebounds, 158 assists and 157 blocked shots. Houlton won the Class B state title as Bouchard averaged 20.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Anna DeWolfe, Greely freshman, guard: In her first varsity season, DeWolfe led the Western Maine Conference in scoring by averaging 20.4 points per game. She also led the Rangers with 3.1 assists and 3.6 steals, while pulling down 5.0 rebounds. Dangerous in the open court, she has already verbally committed to play at Villanova.
Emily Esposito, Gorham junior, guard: A three-time all-state selection, the 5-foot-10 Esposito is being recruited by at least 10 Division I schools. She averaged 18.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.1 steals to lead the Rams to the Class AA state title. She has 1,034 career points.
Maddie Hasson, South Portland senior, forward: A finalist for Miss Maine Basketball and repeat all-state selection, the 5-foot-11 Hasson averaged 21.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 steals. She finished with 1,111 career points and 672 rebounds. She will play at Bowdoin.
Nia Irving, Lawrence senior, center: The winner of the Miss Maine Basketball award and a three-time all-state selection, the 6-foot-1 Irving has been the state’s most dominant inside player for four seasons. She finished her career with 1,754 points and 1,206 rebounds. She will play at Boston University.
Emily Jacques, Edward Little senior, forward: The 6-foot Jacques led the Red Eddies to the Class AA state final, averaging 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.1 steals with 26 blocked shots. She will attend Springfield.
Dominique Lewis, Lawrence senior, guard: A four-year starter, Lewis led the KVAC in assists each season. This winter, the 5-foot-5 Lewis averaged 15 points and six assists and led the league with 63 3-pointers. She finished her career with 1,054 points.
Kelsey Shaw, Mt. Desert Island senior, guard/forward: The 5-foot-10 Shaw finished her career with 1,031 points. This season, she averaged 17.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 4.0 steals. She will play at Division II Stonehill.
Chloe Smedley, York senior, forward: A three-year starter, the 5-foot-10 Smedley played her best in big games, including a 23-point effort in the Class A state final. She averaged 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. Smedley will next play at Maine Maritime.
Shannon Todd, York senior, forward: A Miss Maine Basketball finalist, the 5-foot-11 Todd led York to the Class A title. She averaged 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals, and finished with 1,095 points and 479 rebounds. She will play at Northeastern.
Jess Willerson, McAuley senior, center: A 6-foot-2 center, Willerson combined inside power with nifty moves to average 18.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. An all-state selection as a sophomore, she finished her career with 1,101 points. She will play at Cornell.
Coach of the Year
Rick Clark, York: It was a storybook ending as Clark retired after the Wildcats won the Class A state championship. That was the 508th career victory for Clark, who spent the last 34 years coaching the York girls, and it gave him his fourth state championship.
– Mike Lowe
Irving, a 6-foot-1 senior center, was the focal point of the Bulldogs’ success. This season her role expanded beyond just scoring points and grabbing rebounds; she became a leader.
“She had a very mature outlook on the game and all the kids on the team,” said Donato. “She was never negative, always positive. She was always trying to help the other kids.”
Irving is the selection as Maine Sunday Telegram girls’ basketball Player of the Year. She averaged 25.8 points, 21.0 rebounds, 2.2 blocked shots and 1.5 steals and became a four-time KVAC Player of the Year, leading the league in scoring each year.
For her career she scored 1,754 points – second in school history behind the legendary Cindy Blodgett – and grabbed 1,206 rebounds.
“She was the most dominating player I’ve ever had offensively and defensively,” said Donato, who has coached for 39 years at five schools, including the last six seasons at Lawrence. “She had great hands and anticipated so well. That’s because she played a lot of basketball in her life.”
Irving grew up watching her older sisters play at Lawrence.
“I was always practicing, always watching the game,” she said. “I love the sport.”
Her career highlight was winning the Class A state championship as a junior. This winter the Bulldogs lost 58-57 to York in the Class A title game.
“It was very tough,” said Irving. “Having played with the group of girls all year, we had built a strong connection.”
Donato said that was evident in the way she cared for her teammates. Hunter Mercier, a sophomore, missed most of her freshman year after tearing her ACL. Irving, who tore her ACL after her sophomore season while playing AAU ball, helped Mercier during rehabilitation.
“(Irving) talked to her, consoled her when she needed consoling,” said Donato. “She was her biggest partner in recuperation.”
“She was one of my best friends,” said Irving. “I understood what she was going through, how tough it is to sustain that injury and come back.”
Irving will next play at Boston University, where Blodgett happens to be an assistant coach.
“I’m looking forward to hearing what she has to say, because she knows a lot about this game,” said Irving.
TELEGRAM GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ALL-STATE TEAM
Alisha Aube, Westbrook junior, guard: A dead-eye shooter, the 6-foot Aube has the ability to play inside or out. She averaged 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals. Aube has 932 career points and 299 rebounds. She is being recruited by several Division I schools.
Kolleen Bouchard, Houlton sophomore, forward: The 5-foot-10 Bouchard is an inside-outside threat. In two years, she has scored 900 points, with 376 rebounds, 158 assists and 157 blocked shots. Houlton won the Class B state title as Bouchard averaged 20.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Anna DeWolfe, Greely freshman, guard: In her first varsity season, DeWolfe led the Western Maine Conference in scoring by averaging 20.4 points per game. She also led the Rangers with 3.1 assists and 3.6 steals, while pulling down 5.0 rebounds. Dangerous in the open court. She is being recruited by several Division I colleges.
Emily Esposito, Gorham junior, guard: A three-time all-state selection, the 5-foot-10 Esposito is being recruited by at least 10 Division I schools. She averaged 18.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.1 steals to lead the Rams to the Class AA state title. She has 1,034 career points.
Maddie Hasson, South Portland senior, forward: A finalist for Miss Maine Basketball and repeat all-state selection, the 5-foot-11 Hasson averaged 21.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 steals. She finished with 1,111 career points and 672 rebounds. She will play at Bowdoin.
Nia Irving, Lawrence senior, center: The winner of the Miss Maine Basketball award and a three-time all-state selection, the 6-foot-1 Irving has been the state’s most dominant inside player for four seasons. She finished her career with 1,754 points and 1,206 rebounds. She will play at Boston University.
Emily Jacques, Edward Little senior, forward: The 6-foot Jacques led the Red Eddies to the Class AA state final, averaging 15.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.1 steals with 26 blocked shots. She will attend Springfield.
Dominique Lewis, Lawrence senior, guard: A four-year starter, Lewis led the KVAC in assists each season. This winter, the 5-foot-5 Lewis averaged 15 points and six assists and led the league with 63 3-pointers. She finished her career with 1,054 points.
Kelsey Shaw, Mt. Desert Island senior, guard/forward: The 5-foot-10 Shaw finished her career with 1,031 points. This season, she averaged 17.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 4.0 steals. She will play at Division II Stonehill.
Chloe Smedley, York senior, forward: A three-year starter, the 5-foot-10 Smedley played her best in big games, including a 23-point effort in the Class A state final. She averaged 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. Smedley will next play at Maine Maritime.
Shannon Todd, York senior, forward: A Miss Maine Basketball finalist, the 5-foot-11 Todd led York to the Class A title. She averaged 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals, and finished with 1,095 points and 479 rebounds. She will play at Northeastern.
Jess Willerson, McAuley senior, center: A 6-foot-2 center, Willerson combined inside power with nifty moves to average 18.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. An all-state selection as a sophomore, she finished her career with 1,101 points. She will play at Cornell.
Coach of the Year
Rick Clark, York: It was a storybook ending as Clark retired after the Wildcats won the Class A state championship. That was the 508th career victory for Clark, who spent the last 34 years coaching the York girls, and it gave him his fourth state championship.
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