LIVERMORE FALLS — It was a fresh start and a new beginning for all basketball teams in Maine on Monday.

At Livermore Falls, it was a unique start for two basketball programs. The Spruce Mountain Phoenix started practicing and began a new history as the winter basketball seaons tipped off.

With the Jay and Livermore Falls athletic teams combining this season, the Phoenix have risen out of that merger.

It has put two well-known coaches in familiar, yet different circumstances. Chris Bessey, who coached the girls’ team at Jay last year, is at the helm of the boys’ program, while Gavin Kane has returned to the high school level to coach the girls’ squad.

Though both coaches are well-proven, starting from scratch still takes some adjustments. On the first day of practice, the basketball court at Jay wasn’t ready. So that forced a move to the gym at Livermore Falls.

“It was very chaotic,” Bessey said. “Things started really quickly. School gets out at 2:10. Then everybody had to come down from the North Campus, and then we didn’t have basketballs because they didn’t have basketball down (at Livermore Falls).”

It is those kinds of logistical things that are most prevalent now in this combined scenario. With many of the athletes having adjusted to the merge during the fall season, the coaches have the biggest adjustments.

“It’s more of an adjustment that I’m coaching boys now rather than the fact that I’m coaching a combination school,” said Bessey, who coached the girls’ team at Jay the last eight seasons.

That meant Bessey is getting used to a new group of players, whether they’re from Jay or Livermore Falls. That meant a different approach to opening day.

“Being a new coach for the program, there was a lot of teaching done today where as when I was with the girls, it was more like a review,” said Bessey, who also had coached the boys varsity teams at the two schools.

Livermore Falls went 11-7 last year and lost in the quarterfinals. Jay also went 11-7 and just missed the playoffs. Jake Bessey, Zach Bonnevie, James Barker and Nate Shink are all returning starters from Jay, while Tyler Gervais and Trevin Dunlop each saw plenty of time with the Tigers. Ben Keene is the only returning player from Livermore Falls who saw significant time last year. The Andies graduated nine seniors.

“The difference between us and football was that (football coach)  Mark (Bonnevie) had pretty much a 50-50 split,” said Bessey, who had more than 40 players out Monday. “Livermore lost a lot of seniors last year. So we’re more heavy with Jay kids.”

Kane is back at the high school level after a stint with the University of Maine women’s program. After being away from high school ball following a long, successful tenure at Dirigo, Kane is excited to return to a familiar role.

“The start of the basketball season is always a great thrill,” said Kane, who was an assistant with the Black Bears the previous two seasons. “Personally, I feel an excitement to be back on the court as a head  coach and to be able to get started with this new program. I also very much look forward to having our staff back together again. They are great people with a lot to offer to our players.”

Kane is reunited with the staff that he had while coaching at Dirigo. Rebecca Fletcher coached the Dirigo boys to the state championship game last year and Greg Gagne was an assistant with the Cougars.

The Phoenix girls had more than 30 players out Monday. That’s after significant graduation losses and losing others to injury. Kathryn Ventrella was a starter for the Andies last year, while Alexi Deering and Ashlee Quirrion are regulars back from Jay. Between the two teams, eight players graduated, six of which were starters.

 Jay went 15-3 and lost in the Western C quarterfinals while Livermore Falls went 15-3 and advanced to the regional final, losing to Hall-Dale in the title game.

“We’re anxious to continue to gel the two teams together as one,” Kane said. “We feel that we were able to lay the groundwork this past summer, and the kids were absolutely great in regards to working together and coming together as a new team.”

Kane’s club won’t have an easy time securing a berth in the Western B tournament. That field includes teams like the state champs from Leavitt, Lake Region, Greely and York.

“Our staff has always set high expectations for our basketball teams,” Kane said. “This year won’t be any different. We want our players to strive for the ultimate success. The journey of reaching for a common goal together is something we want all of the players to be proud of.”

The Phoenix are already facing some adversity with the loss of Kourtney Brennick to a knee injury. She was expected to be one of Spruce Mountain’s top post players.

“You have many peaks and valleys during a long season and how you handle them says a lot about your character. We are starting right off with a valley having lost our starting center for the season to knee surgery. So we will challenge our players here at the beginning of the season to help her through her disappointment and rehab and also realize we will need to adjust to her not anchoring the middle for us.”

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