SACO — With one side of Linnell Gymnasium in silence and the other half screaming at the top of its lungs, Thornton Academy forward Andrew Shaw lined up at the foul line to sink two important shots.

In a trance while staring at the basket, Shaw made both shots without the slightest hesitation, sealing a 61-57 win over Deering, winning a battle of unbeatens and keeping the Golden Trojans undefeated with a 6-0 record.

To Shaw, a junior and one of the Trojans three captains, the foul shots were no different than the dozens he takes every day at practice.

“I shoot that hoop like the way I shoot 53 free throws every single day in practice and just imagine it’s me and [Trojan guard] James Ek sitting there and no one else,” Shaw said.

Shaw finished the game with 13 points and eight rebounds, but it was his fellow captain, senior forward Tom Littlefield, who stole the show.

Littlefield owned the low post throughout the entire game, finishing with a team-leading 24 points with seven rebounds.

“I was just doing my part,” Littlefield said. “Just trying to get open and when I get the ball, just try to finish.”

The Rams (5-1) used their shooting skills to try to take out the Trojans. Deering made 10 three-pointers during the game, and continued to take outside shots, without much success, for much of the second half as opposed to driving the lane.

The strategy allowed the Trojans to continue to set up Littlefield with layups down low, while Shaw made his marks with outside shots. Parker used a mixture of both while providing tremendous hustle throughout the game. Keegan Sullivan, the third Trojan captain, picked his spots for shots and finished the game with eight points, including two three pointers.

The most successful Deering shooter of the night was backup Jackson Frey, who didn’t come off the bench until late in the second half. He made the most of his time however, scoring 14 points, including four three-pointers.

A Frey three-pointer kept tied the game at 57-57 with about a minute to play in regulation. Littlefield put the Trojans back on top 59-57 on the next possesion with a low post hook shot.

Ek, who was kept scoreless throughout the contest, made the defensive play of the game with 30 seconds remaining, taking a charge when Eddie Tirabassi of Deering drove the lane to draw a foul. Shaw was immediately fouled afterward, enabling him to sink the game-clinching free throws.

With the win, the Trojans are one of only three teams with undefeated record in Western Class A, joining South Portland and Cheverus.

Even with the win, Littlefield said the Trojans still need to improve on their game.

“We’ve still got to work on a few things, get a few things out of the fold,” Littlefield said. “Once we get together as a team, work as a team better, play defense, grab boards, stuff like that, things will be good.”

Thornton Academy will hit the road in their next regular season game against Cheverus on Jan. 5.

— Contact Dave Dyer at 282-1535 ext. 317.