Medomak Valley boys’ basketball coach Nick DePatsy exhorts his team during a 2020 tournament game versus Cony High in Augusta. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal
Nick DePatsy joked in the preseason that being near 400 wins as a basketball coach “just means it’s time to retire.”
Truth is, the 59-year-old DePatsy, a Waldoboro native and Medomak Valley grad who got win No. 400 on Dec. 28, isn’t close to retirement.
Practices are still his favorite part of coaching, he enjoys his longtime job as the K-8 physical education instructor in nearby Lincolnville, and he has the support of his wife, Michelle, and grown children, Nicholas and Gabrielle.
“If you don’t have that support, it’s hard. I know a lot of great coaches who have gotten out because of that,” DePatsy said.
DePatsy is the 31st coach to earn 400 or more high school wins in Maine, according to the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches’ honor roll. This is his 32nd season as a boys’ varsity coach – his 17th at Medomak Valley after earlier stops at Madison, Georges Valley and Lincoln Academy.
DePatsy’s win total is 402, and Medomak is 7-1 and in first place in the Class B South Heal point standings.
“Medomak is where I’ve really been more successful,” DePatsy said. “We’ve had a very good run. Always had double-digit wins, made the tournament every season.”
This year’s 7-1 start has exceeded the coach’s expectations.
“I mean, I like our team, but we’re very young. We have two veterans, and other than that, they’re all kids up from JV last year,” DePatsy said.
The veterans – senior Kory Donlin and junior Gabe Lash – are leading the way, but many others are contributing, as evidenced by Kristian Schumann’s 21 points and another 13 from Mason Nguyen in Tuesday’s 77-64 win at previously unbeaten Lincoln Academy.
Medomak Valley’s only loss was early in the season against defending regional champion Oceanside.
DePatsy has taken Medomak to a regional final eight times, most recently in 2022 when it lost to Yarmouth, and two state finals, losing to Falmouth in 2013 and Cape Elizabeth in 2015.
The consistent success is partly attributable to the town’s strong youth program, directed by DePatsy. He said this year there are 100 boys in the grades 3-6 program, and over the summer he routinely sees 80-to-100 boys in the grades 3-8 level.
“We don’t have a rec department or a YMCA, so even when I was a kid playing there, the varsity coach ran the whole thing, winter and summer. It’s the way it’s been there for 40-some years,” DePatsy said.
“Fortunately for me, I’ve had some good players, some good people, good coaches helping me along the way.”
WHEN THE boys’ and girls’ teams at a school are enjoying success, “it’s just a better thing around the school. The kids come in, they’re more lively,” said Gray-New Gloucester girls’ coach Mike Andreasen.
Gray-New Gloucester is one of several southern Maine schools enjoying all-around hoops success. The Patriot girls are 6-2 and still atop the Class A South Heal point standings despite Tuesday’s 42-26 loss at defending regional champ Brunswick (6-1).
The boys have won seven straight games by an average of 22.8 points after a season-opening loss at Falmouth.
In Scarborough, both teams are 6-1 and second in AA South after the girls went 9-11 last season and the boys were 7-13, both exiting in the regional semifinals.
“I definitely think it helps create a buzz around school in both programs,” said Mike Giordano, the Scarborough girls’ coach. “I always tell my kids, if you want to have (high school age) kids come to watch you play, you have to win. And both programs are winning and that will draw more attention to them.”
Scarborough boys’ coach Phil Conley added, “We’re all one big program – Scarborough basketball. Coach Giordano and I work very well together and I’m excited for the girls’ program just like I’m excited for my program.”
Both Scarborough teams have benefited from a more diversified offense, as younger but experienced players have expanded their games. On the girls’ side, Caroline Hartley is still the top threat after averaging an SMAA-leading 19.3 points per game last season. This year, Hartley is “involving her teammates and her teammates have stepped up,” with Ellie Rumelhart averaging 10 points and Isabelle Freedman and Emerson Flaker scoring more.
Conley’s team is getting inside-outside balance. Liam Garriepy, a 6-5 senior, is averaging 13.3 points per game. Liam Jefferds and sophomore point guard Carter Blanche are averaging 9.3 and 10 points, and 6-9 sophomore Spencer Booth is a paint presence, averaging eight points, six rebounds and two blocks.
THE WINDHAM BOYS have already topped last year’s win total. The Eagles are 6-0 after Tuesday’s 67-62 home overtime win against fellow AA North contender Cheverus (6-2). Windham returned 13 varsity players from last season’s 5-14 squad.
“I think this is a special group of kids. They truly, truly care for one another and it shows on the court,” said Coach Chad Pulkkinen, noting his team has consistently had four players at or near double-digit scoring in each game.
Blake McPherson went off for 24 points with six 3-pointers against Cheverus, and Adrian Moody (12), Creighty Dickson (11) and Tyrie James (11) were other scoring threats. Quinton Lindsay set the tone in a win against Scarborough. Conor Janvrin had 11 points in one quarter against Thornton Academy.
Pulkkinen has encouraged a five-player attack with each player free to make decisions in a quest for the best shot.
“What makes us dangerous is we’re making pretty good decisions. They’re dedicated to that style of play and its helps us to be aggressive and hard to scout,” Pulkkinen said.
“We’re pretty small, so one of the knocks on us from different people is we’re not very big, but that’s fine. We’re not looking for excuses. We just use that as motivation,”
GORHAM SENIOR Ashton LeClerc set a school record Tuesday with nine 3-pointers in the Rams’ convincing 75-41 win against Thornton Academy to improve to 6-0. LeClerc finished with 31 points. The previous record of eight 3s in a game was shared by brothers Ryan and Erik Burnheimer. Ryan set it in 1997 as a freshman. Erik tied the mark as a senior in 2002.
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