I first heard about Maddie Provost the year before she entered Lawrence High School as a freshman and helped them win a Gold Ball in 2023 as a 6th “man.” I had heard the “baby Blodgett” comparisons from more than one person.., so I couldn’t wait to see her play. Well.., she was.., as the kids say (or maybe they don’t anymore).., all of that and a bag of chips. This young freshman was cool, she was calm, she was collected and by gorry she had game! She had/has all the physical skills.., she could obviously shoot, pass, dribble and plays/played some solid defense. It was more than that though. There are a lot of players who can do all those things but when I watched Provost play there was something more there that most kids, boys or girls don’t have.., at least the players here in Maine that I’ve seen. That “thing” was the mental side of the game. Maddie to me is “Birdesque” in being one or several steps ahead of everyone else when it comes to anticipation. I truly had not seen anything like it.., not even in Cindy Blodgett. That innate knack of knowing.., seeing what’s next before anyone else does. It’s not necessarily eyes on the back or the side of her head and stuff (although she does possess those eyes so be ready because a no look pass could be zipped your way), it’s that instinctive knowledge that she has, that God gave her.., that few other players have and it blew me away. Here was this wisp of a girl who at 14 years old was two or three.., or even four steps ahead of everyone else. I could see it instantly in the first few minutes of the first game I saw her play and it was stunning in how obvious it was to me. I marveled in it and remember telling anyone that would listen that this girl had something that few other players have. Her basketball IQ was Mensa level. She. Had. “IT.”
I am often asked to compare Maddie Provost to Cindy Blodgett for obvious reasons. They were both phenoms, you heard about both of them way before they hit high school (in Cindy’s case, I first heard about her when she was a 6th grader), and they both went to Lawrence and they’re both roughly the same size. Cindy had some legendary high scoring games and she could not be stopped offensively. Blodgett took way more shots than Maddie does so that’s why you haven’t seen those 40+ scoring games from. There is no doubt in my mind that Provost could and may very well have one of “those nights” before her career is over at Lawrence. One thing about Provost is this.., she really looks to share the ball more than Cindy and it’s to her scoring detriment that she does. Sometimes Provost is too deferential to her teammates and I’d like to see her be more selfish and take her own shot more. Look I am not here to disparage Cindy. I had the pleasure of broadcasting nearly every game she played and it was marvelous. And.., she Blodgett does those have 4 straight Gold Balls which kind of does make her the Jordan of Maine high school hoops.
But, Provost is the better athlete of the two. She has sprinter’s speed up and down the court. I’ve not seen a player with another gear in the open court like she has. You can literally see her shift into overdrive when she needs to. Blodgett was no slouch there but Provost has the edge in that category. I am convinced that Maddie Provost could and can excel in any sport she played. She played soccer this past fall for the first time in a few years and was an All KVAC Class B 1st team selection. I did a few of her games and she slinked up and down the field just like she does on the hardwood. I’ll bet she could be a fine softball or lacrosse player.., or a scratch golfer if she picked up a golf club or Lawn Darts.., if that was still allowed to be played. She just has that look about her.
In the end.., I guess I should just say this.., let’s enjoy Maddie Provost and her pals on the Lawrence girls basketball team because players like Provost and teams like the Lawrence girls don’t come around very often. She and they are a treat to watch and although I always try to call games as I see them.., I do have to say that I always quietly, in my head.., root for her and them.
