A strong performance from David Keohan helps the Trojans to a 66-54 victory.

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/02/08/boys-basketball-thornton-academy-tops-windham/

BY JOHN BOTELHOSPECIAL TO THE PRESS HERALD

WINDHAM — The only thing that seemed capable of slowing down David Keohan on Wednesday night was some early foul trouble.

The Thornton Academy big man shook off the fouls and dominated the second half in the Golden Trojans’ impressive 66-54 boys’ basketball victory over Windham.

“He does the same stuff every night, but he didn’t get it going in the first half because of the fouls,” said Thornton Coach Bob Davies. “He takes a lot of space down there, knows how to position himself and just plays pretty mean down low.”

Keohan went off after halftime, scoring 15 of his 17 points. He also collected 10 rebounds and threw down a dunk after a coming away with a fourth-quarter steal on the other end.

“We talked at halftime about how we just needed to play team ball, pass it around and swing the ball from side to side,” said Keohan. “It got their defense and we were able to get some easy buckets. We have shooters all over the place, like Austin Boudreau and Avery McKenzie, and they spaced the floor well so it opened up space for me to go to work.”

After a first quarter in which neither side was able to get in sync on the offensive end, Thornton (15-2) was clinging to a 10-8 lead. The point guards for both sides led the way, with Boudreau, a senior, pacing the Trojans with five points while junior Nick Curtis topped the Eagles with four.

The pace quickened in the second quarter as both teams came out hot from 3-point range. In just under four minutes of play, the teams combined to hit six 3-pointers, four of which came from Windham shooters, highlighted by a pair from Chris Brown.

From there, the defenses were able to close down on open attempts from deep and the pace slowed again.

The Trojans took a 27-25 lead into the break as Boudreau (15 points) added eight more points, and Evan Christensen chipped in with seven of his nine in the quarter.

Curtis (19 points) joined Brown with six points in the quarter for Windham (11-6).

Thornton used a 6-0 run to open an eight-point lead in the first minute and a half of the third.

Keohan, from the low block, allowed the Trojans to keep the Eagles at bay as he notched 10 points in the quarter, eight inside the paint.

A late surge, sparked by five points from McKenzie in the final minute of the third, sent the Trojans into the fourth leading 48-39.

A dominating effort on the defensive end early in the fourth allowed the Trojans to put the game away. Midway through the fourth, Thornton had opened a 20-point lead.

Austin McGowan sparked a rally that closed the gap down the stretch, scoring eight points – including a pair of catch-and-shoot 3-pointers – for Windham.

Thornton Academy 66, Windham 54

INDIVIDUAL SCORING