Maine High School Basketball Tournaments See Venue Shifts

Several teams must adjust to new tournament sites as Maine reclassifies its high school basketball divisions.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Due to this year's reclassification of Maine high school basketball divisions, several teams will be playing their tournament games at different venues compared to recent seasons, particularly in Class A and Class B. The Class A South regional quarterfinals and semifinals will be held at the Portland Expo before moving to the larger Cross Insurance Arena for the regional finals, while the Class A North tournament will take place at the Augusta Civic Center. Additionally, some former Class AA North teams that had been playing in Portland will now compete in Augusta, and vice versa for some former Class A South teams. The new Class S division, for the state's smallest schools, will have its quarterfinals and semifinals in Bangor and Augusta.

Why it matters

The venue changes are a result of Maine's high school basketball reclassification, which saw the largest division grow from 14 to 28 teams. This has created more distinct geographical and conference divisions, requiring some teams to adjust to new tournament sites. The changes aim to provide a better fan and team experience, as well as trim costs, but will require teams and fans to be more aware of where their games are being played.

The details

In Class A South, all regional quarterfinal and semifinal games will be played at the Portland Expo before the tournament shifts to the larger Cross Insurance Arena for the regional finals. This is a change from recent years when former Class AA schools played their quarterfinals at home gyms before going to Cross Insurance Arena. In Class A North, teams will now compete at the Augusta Civic Center, rather than the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland that some former Class AA North schools had become accustomed to. Meanwhile, some former Class A South teams like Mt. Ararat and Brunswick will now play their tournament games in Augusta instead of the Expo.

  • The Class S quarterfinals began on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • The Class S regional semifinals will be held next Tuesday, February 18, 2026.

The players

Toby Leighton

An employee at Leighton Signworks in Oakland who was applying a vinyl decal to the floor of the Hammond Lumber Company auditorium at the Augusta Civic Center.

Dylan Gendron

A senior basketball player at Sanford High School, who is excited about the possibility of playing at the Cross Insurance Arena for the first time in his career.

Ryan Alexander

Another senior basketball player at Sanford High School, whose coach has been preparing the team for the big atmosphere they will experience at the Portland Expo.

Jimbo Philbrook

The boys basketball coach at Edward Little High School, who prefers the Augusta Civic Center over the Cross Insurance Arena due to better access and seating.

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What they’re saying

“The only reason I really want to play at the Cross is because I've never played there. We've played at the Expo. Now we've just got to win a couple games to be able to do it.”

— Dylan Gendron, Sanford High School Senior

“The Expo 'is going to be a big atmosphere and it's something we're going to have to get used to fast.'”

— Ryan Alexander, Sanford High School Senior

“Personally, I like it.”

— Jimbo Philbrook, Edward Little High School Boys Basketball Coach

What’s next

The Class A South regional finals at the Cross Insurance Arena and the Class A North regional finals at the Augusta Civic Center are scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The takeaway

The venue changes for this year's Maine high school basketball tournaments highlight the challenges teams and fans face as the state's classification system evolves. While some teams will have to adjust to unfamiliar tournament sites, the shifts aim to provide a better overall experience and manage costs, demonstrating the Maine Principals' Association's efforts to thoughtfully adapt the tournament format.