Being part of a premier Class A program may have hurt Bo Leary in his quest for one, final individual basketball honor Friday night.

Leary waited his turn on a roster full of college-bound players, not emerging as a star until late in his junior season at Edward Little.

Tyler McFarland, meanwhile, started his first of three consecutive Class B state championship games at Camden Hills as a sophomore.

And when it comes to a career achievement award such as Maine Mr. Basketball, that experience and success usually pay huge dividends. McFarland, a 6-foot-6 center, was awarded the prize Friday night at Husson College in Bangor.

“That’s kind of what we thought was probably going to happen,” Edward Little coach Mike Adams said. “Camden had so much success throughout (McFarland’s) career, and it ended up working out that way. But we thought in the back of our mind that maybe, because Bo is such a great kid and had such an outstanding year, that he had a chance.”

Graham Safford of Hampden Academy joined McFarland and Leary as finalists for the award, presented each year by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches.

McFarland and Safford were teammates on Camden’s Class B championship team in 2009 before Safford transferred to Hampden.

Camden Hills lost to Falmouth in the 2010 state final. The Windjammers defeated Cape Elizabeth in last Friday’s championship, with McFarland scoring 19 of his 24 points in the second half of a 68-59 triumph.

McFarland averaged 24.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game this season.

Three nights earlier, Leary and EL lost to Bangor, 41-38, in the Eastern Class A final.

EL appeared in the regional title game all four years of Leary’s career, winning twice. Leary, a 6-foot-3 center/forward was tournament MVP as a junior.

“This doesn’t take away whatsoever from anything Bo did,” Adams said.

All three players are from Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference schools.

They will represent Eastern Maine in Saturday’s McDonald’s Class A-B senior all-star game. Adams and Camden Hills coach Jeff Hart will coach the team.

“It will be fun watching those three on the court together,” Adams said. “What an experience this weekend is for them. They’re all very good friends and have played AAU together and all that.”

Kayla Burchill of Deering was named Miss Basketball. Deering was 79-7 with two state titles and four straight Western Class A championship appearances during her career.

Rebecca Knight of McAuley and Nicole Taylor of York were the other girls’ finalists.

Carolyn Joseph of St. Dom’s received a $2,000 all-state academic sponsorship from the Maine McDonald’s Owner/Operators Association.

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