Andrew Fleming, who rewrote the record books at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris during his four-year varsity career, was named the 2016 Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Player of the Year on Thursday morning.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 210-pound senior forward, who will attend the University of Maine on a basketball scholarship next fall, averaged 28.6 points, 15.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 4.3 blocked shots and 3.5 steals per game and became the first Oxford Hills player to win the award.
Fleming established school records for career points (1.385) and rebounds (1.025) and points in a season with 563 this winter as he led coach Scott Graffam’s Vikings to a 15-5 record and a berth in the inaugural Class AA North semifinals.
Fleming averaged 35 points and 12.5 rebounds in two postseason games — including a 42-point outburst during a quarterfinal victory over Bangor — and was named the regional tournament’s most valuable player.
He also was selected the 2016 Class AA North player of the year, a finalist for the state’s Mr. Basketball Award, and was a 2015 Bangor Daily News All-Maine selection.
“When he entered Oxford Hills in 2012 we had not been to the Bangor Auditorium or Augusta Civic Center [for tournament play] since 2005, and we went all four of his years including a semifinal and regional final,” said Graffam. “He has changed the culture at Oxford Hills. The players in our program expect to participate in the Northern Maine AA tourney now.”
Fleming also has maintained a 3.43 grade-point average academically, and the National Honor Society member has volunteered locally with youth sports programs.
“Fleming impacts the game in so many ways on both ends of the floor and in transition,” said Leavitt of Turner Center head coach Mike Hathaway. “Offensively, he has a good post-up and midrange game. You have to completely alter your defense for him. He also has a high basketball IQ and plays within a team concept.”
Fleming’s selection marks the third straight year and the fourth time in the last five seasons in which Maine’s top two individual schoolboy basketball awards have gone to different players, with Mr. Basketball considered more a career award that goes only to seniors, while the Gatorade award is a single-season honor presented to top players regardless of class.
Fleming joins recent Gatorade Maine players of the year Nick Mayo (2015, Messalonskee of Oakland), Zach Gilpin (2014, Hampden Academy), Garet Beal (2012 and 2013, Jonesport-Beals), Tyler McFarland (2011, Camden Hills of Rockport), Stefano Mancini (2010, Falmouth), Thomas Knight (2009, Dirigo of Dixfield), Ryan Martin (2008, Maranacook of Readfield) and Troy Barnies (2007, Edward Little of Auburn.
The most recent Mr. Basketball honorees are Nick Gilpin of Hampden Academy (2016), Kyle Bouchard of Houlton (2015), Dustin Cole of Bonny Eagle of Standish (2014), Beal (2013), Christian McCue of Hampden Academy (2012), McFarland (2011), Indiana Faithfull of Cheverus of Portland (2010), Knight (2009), Martin (2008) and Barnies (2007).
