enlarge John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Ian Barwise has been a force inside for Thornton Academy but also has the ability to connect on the 3-pointer.

TODAY'S STATE FINALS

CLASS A

at Augusta Civic Center

BOYS: Thornton Academy (18-3) vs. Edward Little (19-2), 4 p.m.

GIRLS: Deering (21-0) vs. Messalonskee (19-2), 7 p.m.

TELEVISION: Both games on Time Warner Channel 16

CLASS C

at Bangor Auditorium

BOYS: Dirigo (20-1) vs. Calais (16-4), 8:45 p.m.

GIRLS: Jay (18-4) vs. George Stevens Acad. (18-3), 7 p.m.

TELEVISION: Both games on Channel 10

CLASS D

at Bangor Auditorium

BOYS: Richmond (17-2) vs. Woodland (15-7), 2:45 p.m.

GIRLS: Valley (17-3) vs. Woodland (20-0), 1 p.m.

TELEVISION: Both games on Channel 104 p.m. today at Augusta Civic Center

 

Class A boys' state final at a glance

THORNTON ACADEMY (18-3)

COACH: Bob Davies

STARTERS: Forwards: Andrew Shaw, 6-foot-5, So. (11.2 ppg); John Trull, 6-3, Sr. (4.3 ppg); Center: Ian Barwise, 6-foot-5, Sr. (12.1 ppg); Guards: James Morse, 6-1, Sr. (16.9 ppg); Michael Guerin, 5-11, Sr. (7.4 ppg)

KEYS TO VICTORY: The Golden Trojans will count on Morse to run things as he has done all season. Thornton Academy will look to fast break and take advantage of its athletic talent. Morse, Shaw and Barwise can all hit the 3-pointer. It's a pretty even matchup in height against Edward Little, but Thornton is the more physical team and will look to take advantage inside if the officiating allows. Thornton wants to continue to play solid man-to-man defense and control the glass. The Golden Trojans will need to take care of the ball against strong pressure from the Red Eddies.

EDWARD LITTLE (19-2)

COACH: Mike Adams

STARTERS: Forwards: Shane Ciriello, 6-foot-5, Sr. (8.0 ppg); James Philbrook, 6-4, Jr. (12.0 ppg); Center: Sean Daigle, 6-5, Sr. (5.0 ppg); Guards: Corey Therriault, 6-3, Sr. (22.0 ppg); Yusuf Iman, 6-1, Jr. (4.0 ppg)

KEYS TO VICTORY: The Red Eddies will try to get the ball to Therriault, the team's best 3-point shooter. Philbrook and Ciriello can also hit the 3-pointer. Edward Little can run, but it probably doesn't want to get in a wide-open game with Thornton. The Eddies will look to slow it down, make every possession count and keep the score in the low 50s. They want to avoid getting into foul trouble and sending Thornton to the foul line, where the Golden Trojans have been deadly. The Eddies will have to block out to keep Thornton's big bodies off the boards.

SACO — Two returning starters, a couple of leading reserves and one notable addition have combined to make history this season for the Thornton Academy boys' basketball team.

How much history depends on today's Class A state championship game against Edward Little (19-2) at 4 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center. The Golden Trojans (18-3) already own the school's first regional title. The team could add the first Gold Ball.

Thornton point guard James Morse is one of the best players in the state, but the arrival of Ian Barwise, who played for state champion Cheverus last year, has made the difference.

The rugged 6-foot-5 Barwise has added the physical presence to the Golden Trojans that they surely needed after the graduation of Kory Martin and Dakota Greene.

"I feel I add a physicality to the team. I can also hit the 3-point shot," said Barwise, who averages 12.1 points per game.

His teammates agree.

"I can't imagine where we would be without Ian," said senior forward John Trull, one of the two returning starters. "He gives us a physical presence underneath and someone who can score.

"I thought last year might have been it as far as winning the regional title (when the Trojans lost to Cheverus in the final), but James Morse stepped up his scoring to compensate for the loss of Kory Martin, and Andrew Shaw did too. James is our go-to guy but we've all contributed."

Shaw averages 11.2 points per game and is a strong 3-point shooter. Michael Guerin, the fifth starter, averages 7.4 points per game but scored a career-high 25 against Bonny Eagle in the regular season.

Trull likes being the player teams overlook.

He's certainly capable of scoring in double figures in any game but has sacrificed his offense to concentrate on defense and rebounding.

"John has been that tough defender that has helped us replace Dakota Greene," said Thornton Coach Bob Davies

Barwise has adapted to his new team after some difficult moments. Davies benched him for two games and wouldn't give the reason for the disciplinary action. Things were ironed out and Barwise has been a team player since.

"We would probably not be playing in the state championship game if not for Ian Barwise," said Davies. "He can play inside and he has to be accounted for by the defense when he moves outside because he can hit the 3. Teams have to move someone out to guard him."

Barwise said he doesn't have to shoot the 3-pointer as much as he did last season.

"Cheverus' offense was predicated on the 3-point shot," he said. "This offense isn't."

Asked why he left Cheverus, Barwise, who lives in Kennebunkport, said: "It was for personal reasons. Thornton was a better fit."

A senior, Barwise said he has been accepted at Maine Martime Academy but added, "I'm still looking at other schools."

If Thornton wins, Barwise would have the distinction of having played on two different state championship basketball teams in consecutive years.

While there are no records on who else has done it, one was Terry Jewett of Freeport, who won with Greely in 1963, then for Casco in 1964. Jewett was a longtime basketball coach at Freeport High who was also the Falcons' head coach for three seasons in the 1980s.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com