If the Calais boys' basketball team plays the way it did a week ago, tonight’s Class C state championship game at the Augusta Civic Center could be a long one for Winthrop.
The Blue Devils won their third straight Eastern Maine title and 63rd game in a row with an impressive shooting display against Lee Academy. In winning 77-54 against the No. 2-seeded Pandas, Calais (19-0) shot 66 percent from the floor, and those shots weren’t all layups.
“We were clicking pretty good,” Calais Coach Ed Leeman said.
Western Maine champion Winthrop clicked the past few games as well. The Ramblers (20-1) avenged a regular-season loss to Dirigo in the regional championship game.
“We’ve kind of felt like we’ve had to prove something all year long,” Winthrop point guard Sam Leclerc said. “To this point I think we have.”
Leclerc was in the starting lineup when these teams met for the Class C title two years ago. The Blue Devils won 56-49, rallying in the final three minutes after Leclerc fouled out.
Also returning from that lineup for Winthrop is defensive stopper Tim Gingras, although his playing status for tonight’s game is uncertain because of a possible violation of team rules. No one else on the current Winthrop team saw action in that game.
Senior Sam Bell and junior Cal Shorey played for Calais, although neither started. The Blue Devils, in fact, have rebuilt much of their team since last season, when they graduated five seniors.
“They’ve got a lot of offensive weapons,” Leclerc said. “They’re not weak at any spots.”
Bell and 6-foot-3 senior Rod Tirrell lead the team in scoring at 14 points per game. Bell scored 21 in the regional final, while Tirrell had 23, including 4 of 5 from behind the 3-point arc.
Cal Shorey and his freshman brother, Cam, are both 6-3 and give the Blue Devils a strong inside game, while Jordan Leeman, the coach’s son, averages 10 points and three assists.
“They’re really good passers, really good screeners and really good shooters,” Winthrop Coach Dennis Dacus said. “They know their roles.”
The Ramblers have several scorers and 3-point shooters, including Leclerc, Larry Foster and Ezra Damm. Zach Farrington can also knock down the 3, along with reserve Andrew Smithgall.
The Ramblers will try to speed up the game if they can, while the Blue Devils don’t mind a quick tempo either. Leclerc, who averages 21 points a game, is a much better scorer than he was two years ago and is often subjected to gimmick defenses.
“We haven’t gone to a box-and-one in three years,” Leeman said. “That doesn’t mean we’re not going to.”
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638 ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Reader comments
Click here to view or add comments on this story
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form