Courting the memories of a lifetime
By Steve Solloway, Staff Writer
"No way am I sitting on the Portland side," said Ray. "It´s not possible."
Shone made his stand. "I´m not sitting on the Bangor side. I mean, it´s not happening."
One more example of how the competition and the tradition of Maine high school tournament basketball affects people, even driving a wedge between two friends and college teammates who came to the Augusta Civic Center to watch Portland and Bangor play for the Class A boys title.
Saturday was the day for state championship games, that annual winter rite of hoop madness that turns the quiet and the reserved among us into cheering zealots. It was a day to hold aloft Gold Ball trophies and live the moments that might last a lifetime.
Hours before Ray and Shone came to Augusta, Cony High´s girls celebrated their victory over McAuley High of Portland. Cheers and tears on each side of the arena.
Ray and Shone understand. Each had their moment when their joy and satisfaction felt like nothing they had experienced before. Or since.
For Ray, it was the Bangor Auditorium in 2001. He was a sophomore guard at Bangor High, a team that was not expected to beat an exceptional Deering High team of Jamaal Caterina, Warren Philips and an underclassman named Nik Caner-Medley.
Deering was undefeated that season. This was the boys team that its fans believed would win the school´s first state basketball title.
Yet late in the fourth quarter the score was still close. As the scoreboard clock ticked off the last minute, Deering led, but not by much. With three seconds left and his team trailing by one point, Ray stole the ball.
Knowing time was about to run out, Ray took his best shot at the basket, but the ball was going to fall short. Close to the basket, Bangor High´s Joe Campbell plucked Ray´s shot out of the air and took his own shot as the buzzer sounded.
The ball went into the basket. Bangor beat Deering, 57-56.
At his home in Portland, Shone had been watching the game. He left the room, briefly, believing Deering was about to win. He rushed back to the television when his mother screamed.
One year later, at the Cumberland County Civic Center, Shone stole the ball and scored with about 55 seconds left on the clock. The basket pulled Portland High into a tie with Brunswick and its multi-talented star, Ralph Mims. Later, in overtime, Shone scored the foul shots that would finally give Portland the championship, 69-63.
Mims scored 46 points for Brunswick that night, a record. Those who were there say it was one of the best state championship games ever. One of the best. Too many fans of other schools and other generations might beg to differ.
Mike Thurston´s desperation last-second shot from before midcourt that enabled Caribou High to beat Westbrook in 1969. Cindy Blodgett leading Lawrence High to four state championships. John Wassenbergh´s 41-point performance in South Portland´s five-overtime win over Bangor in 1992.
Upper Kennebec Valley High´s 96-92 win over Jonesport-Beals in 1998, proving that the state´s smallest schools certainly knew how to put the ball in the basket.
Memorable moments, unforgettable games, and players that are forever linked by blood or happenstance. It´s what gives the tournaments life each season.
Ray and Shone are teammates at Bates College now. Two former high school captains, two former tournament players who share tournament moments that are eerily similar.
They didn´t play against each other for the state championship, but they spend their long bus rides to away games needling each other over which of their home cities is better. Which school has won more state championships. Teammates from Massachusetts or Illinois or Georgia learned long ago to stay out of the debate.
"They just don´t understand," said Ray. "The tournaments are Maine. It´s what we do in the winter."
Ray´s moment is better known than Shone´s simply because of its timing. His steal, missed shot, and Campbell´s basket ended the game, the tournament and the season all within three seconds.
"I get a lot of questions from high school coaches when they visit Bates," said Ray. "They want to know what happened. The Bates team has seen the film of that game, so they know.
"Do I get tired of talking about it? The whole experience of playing with my teammates (at Bangor) was amazing. Talking about that one play just triggers all the memories."
Shone´s steal and layup and foul shots took longer to play out. Their impact wasn´t as dramatic. But maybe more nerve-wracking. At least for Shone.
"I couldn´t watch the film for months afterward," said Shone. "It was difficult for me to watch, even though I knew we won."
"I was just in the right place at the right time, being in the flow of the game, being aware. But really, I just stuck my hand out."
And tipped the ball away.
Ray remembers his freshman year at Winslow. His coach took the team to the Bangor Auditorium to watch and experience tournament basketball. Erskine Academy happened to be one of the teams playing, and Ray kept watching its point guard, his position.
"The atmosphere was so great, it was so exciting, I couldn´t help but feel jealous."
Saturday night, Ray and Shone might be excused if they felt a twinge of jealousy again. They were spectators this time, not players, each willing to forget their friendship. At least for an hour or two. They never did sit together.
So, was anything riding on the game´s outcome?
"Don´t bet on it," said Ray. "That would be an NCAA violation."
He laughed.
Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:
Copyright © 2001 MaineToday Media, Inc. Inc.