AUGUSTA — Wiscasset did all it could to stop Dirigo’s big man.

The plan worked for one quarter, but Thomas Knight eventually broke through.

Knight, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound center, scored 28 points to lead Dirigo past Wiscasset 64-44 in the Western Class C boys’ basketball championship game.

Top-seeded Dirigo (20-1) moves on the state championship game Saturday against Calais (16-4) at the Bangor Auditorium.

Second-seeded Wiscasset is done at 19-2, the two losses both coming to Dirigo.

And like their 63-38 rout of Wiscasset two months ago, the Cougars took over with Knight and a more-than-supporting cast.

Knight, bound for Notre Dame next year, added 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. He was fouled often and responded with 12 of 16 from the foul line.

Josh Sonia led Wiscasset with 21 points, including five 3-pointers.

Wiscasset’s defensive strategy obviously focused on Knight. Wiscasset packed the paint and did all it could to deny the ball inside.

“They were putting two and three guys on Thomas,” Dirigo forward Nick Crutchfield said. “Someone had to get open and we got a couple of good looks.”

Crutchfield scored six of his 10 points in the first quarter, including a layup on a nifty Knight pass.Wiscasset got into a little rhythm in the first quarter. Sonia popped a 3-pointer on a nice drive-and-feed by point guard Nick Hinkley. And 6-foot-5 guard Jason Dennison was driving and taking jumpers. He scored seven points in the first quarter, as Wiscasset took a 12-11 lead.

But Dennison also had the defensive responsibility inside, and he picked up his second foul early in the second quarter and went to the bench. Two other post players totaled five fouls trying to stop Knight.

Still, Wiscasset jumped ahead. Sonia hit two 3-pointers early in the second quarter for an 18-11 lead, and fans wearing red T-shirts were going wild.

But over the last five minutes of the half, Wiscasset managed no baskets and only one free throw.Dirigo kept scoring.

“Our shots finally started to fall,” Crutchfield said. “And Tom got a couple of shots to go.”

Knight did most of his damage with free throws. He was 6 for 6 in the second quarter and 8 for 8 in the third.

Dirigo guard Tyler Chiasson, who finished with 13, scored on a fast break to end the half with the Cougars up 25-19.

Hinkley scored on a drive to start the second half. Knight hit an inside jumper and Dennison countered with a putback. Wiscasset trailed 27-23.

The Cougars then went on a 12-0 run. Knight could not be stopped and Wiscasset could not keep up, making four turnovers. Thomas had 18 points in the quarter, including two dunks and an alley-oop tip-in.

Dirigo led 49-32 after the third quarter and kept pulling away.

Dennison finished with nine points. Josh Hopkins scored seven.

Staff writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or

kthomas@pressherald.com