Inside the back of his father’s truck are stories taped to the wall on Troy Barnies’ basketball career at the University of Maine.

At the shop, a roofing business in Auburn, more are tacked to a bulletin board.

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Troy Barnies made the adjustment to college basketball after a standout career at Edward Little High, and he’s become a go-to player for the University of Maine. The Associated Press

Stanley Barnies is waiting to add to his collection.

Tonight his son will lead the third-seeded Black Bears into the last America East tournament of his career with an 8:15 p.m. game at No. 6 Hartford, the tournament host.

Barnies has had the season of his career at Maine, and does not want it to end. He was a first-team pick Friday on the all-America East team.

“It’s one and done now. We want to keep this going as long as we can,” said Barnies. “We know we have a great chance. We need a spark.

“We play great when everyone has each other’s back. In the back of our minds we want to do this to make history. I want that banner.”

“That banner” stands for a conference title and trip to the NCAA tournament, which would be a first for the program.

The last month has not exactly gone well for the Black Bears (15-14, 9-7 America East), who have lost seven of their last eight after a seven-game winning streak in January left them atop the conference.

There were some close losses — two in overtime — but losses nonetheless.

“I think toward the end of that winning streak there was a lot of pressure,” said Barnies. “Teams expected a lot out of us. We were picked high and were trying to keep the streak going.

“But we changed the way we played. The sense of urgency was gone and the season changed dramatically.”

Last year, Maine won 19 games and was seeded second in the conference, but got upset by New Hampshire in the tournament opener.

This time around, said Barnies, he and senior Sean McNally, who has been battling an ankle injury all year, plan to step up and have a word or two to share.

“There’s so many things we can talk about. But in the end, all 13 of us have to want it,” Barnies said.

Hartford is the only conference team that beat Maine twice this year — 61-59 on Jan. 5 at Orono and 74-65 on Feb. 10 at Hartford.

“It’s in the back of my mind they’re the only team we lost to twice,” said Barnies. “Our defensive intensity was the key both times. That’s what we need to fix.”

Barnies adjustment to college basketball after a standout high school career at Edward Little, wasn’t always on the fast track. He and McNally were part of a plan to rebuild the program at Maine by utilizing in-state talent.

“He’s a guy who came in as a freshman and we didn’t even know what position to put him at,” said Maine Coach Ted Woodward. “He stumbled through his footwork. Now he has just about the most immaculate footwork in the league. He’s a great competitor.”

Today, said Woodward, Barnies is certainly tops among a group of players the team will turn to. He leads Maine in minutes with 33.3 per game and in scoring with 14.3 points per game.

“He has a quiet confidence,” said guard Gerald McLemore, the team’s talented perimeter shooter who was named to the America East second team.

Barnies’ twin brother, Travis, a 6-foot-5 tight end on the Husson University football team, may express best what this opportunity means to his brother.

“To Troy, this means the world,” said Travis Barnies. “It means more than anything in his life up until this point. He’s worked so hard.”

NOTES: Junior guard Andrew Rogers was named to the conference all-academic team.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at: jmenendez@pressherald.com

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