If you’re looking for a high school basketball team to use in a public service announcement about the importance of free throws, call the Thornton Academy boys. Thursday night at Cross Insurance Arena, the Trojans showcased how making foul shots can change a game on the state’s largest stage.
In a Class AA South semifinal against Massabesic, Thornton went 10 for 10 from the line, including 6 for 6 in the final 32 seconds, taking a 53-48 win.
“It’s something we work on multiple times in practice. Recently we’ve been getting a lot of practice and obviously it paid off today,” said Thornton’s Anthony Jones, who was 4 for 4 from the line in the final minute. “I knew the guys had faith in me, and I had faith in myself.”
No. 2 Thornton (13-6) will play in the regional final at 8:45 p.m. Saturday at Cross Arena against top-seeded South Portland, which defeated No. 4 Bonny Eagle, 50-32.
No. 6 Massabesic, which won one of its first seven games before winning six of its last 11, ends the season at 7-11.
“We had a rough stretch at the start of the year, but I’m very proud of these guys and how they came together as a group,” Massabesic Coach Zach Blodgett said.
Thornton beat Massabesic by nine points in each of the two regular-season meetings, and led by seven points early in the second quarter before the Mustangs found their rhythm. Trailing 22-19 at the half, Massabesic took a 25-24 lead with 6:13 left in the third on a Jake Raymond 3-pointer. The teams traded the lead seven times in the third quarter and went to the fourth tied, 39-39.
Raymond scored all of his team-high16 points in the second half.
“They definitely played harder than they did the last two previous meetings. We’re in a different environment here at the Cross. Everyone’s going to give you all they’ve got,” Jones said.
An Alex Graffam basket gave the Mustangs a 43-41 lead with just under six minutes to play. The Trojans answered with three straight jumpers from Will Davies to make it 47-43 with 3:33 left.
“I was open. On our team, it doesn’t matter who it is, if you’re open, shoot. At that time, I was open,” said Davies, who scored 20 points.
A Raymond basket cut the Trojans’ lead to two with 2:25 left. Jones hit a pair of free throws with 32.5 seconds remaining to give Thornton a 49-45 lead, but Raymond answered with his third 3 of the second half. Jones then sank two more foul shots to make it 51-48.
Connor Levesque’s shot to tie the game with just under 10 seconds left was short. With 6.4 seconds to play, Thornton’s Aleesio Marcus made both ends of an 1-and-1 for the final margin.
“There were a couple calls down the stretch that could’ve gone either way. They got to the free-throw line and made their free throws,” Blodgett said.
Massabesic’s five senior starters – Raymond, James Saccuzzo, Levesque, Alex Graffam and Isaiah Searles – each played all 16 minutes of the second half. That’s not unusual for his team, Blodgett said.
“They’ve been the leaders of our program all year,” Blodgett said.
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