When former Thornton Academy star basketball player Andrew Shaw decided to attend Bentley College, he said he knew he would be getting a good education.

What he didn’t realize is that, in addition to eventually earning a degree, he would receive an advanced education in college basketball.

Shaw, who played three stellar varsity seasons with the Thornton Academy Golden Trojans, has been playing basketball most of his life. When he walked on to Bentley’s campus in the fall, however, he learned quickly that he had a long way to go to become a good basketball player.

“It’s been a learning experience,” he said in a phone interview this week. “College is a lot different than high school. The season’s longer, preparation starts when you get to school, and it’s a lot more demanding.”

It appears that Shaw took seriously his early lessons.

As a true freshman, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward has played in 14 of 15 games this season for the Falcons. He is averaging 10.1 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game and is shooting at almost 50 percent from the floor. He is also ranked fourth in 3-point accuracy in the Northeast-10 Conference, shooting at 45 percent.

It’s statistics like those that have earned him playing time of a little more than 18 minutes per game, said Bentley coach Jay Lawson.

“He’s a talented perimeter shot maker who finds and makes shots in a highly efficient fashion, which has proven to be a very significant and consistent weapon for us off the bench,” Lawson said in an email this week. “Andrew also has the potential to grow into a much more diverse offensive player.”

Bentley has started the season at 12-3 (8-3 Northeast-10). Shaw’s contributions have helped, but he said rather than playing as an individual, he tries to do anything to help the team win.

“It’s interesting because now that I’m on a college team, I am no longer the best player,” he said. “Every one is good, and it’s interesting how it’s a different team dynamic with so many good players around you.”

Another difference from his high school years is that basketball consumes most of his non-classroom time.

“Everyone on the team is focused solely on basketball,” he said. “We are here for a reason. We’re here to win games and that is the No. 1 focus.”

When Shaw stepped on to campus in early September, he received a wake-up call from coaches and teammates. From the first day of school the coaches expected the players to work on drills, run at least a mile and workout in the weight room using specially designed programs.

Shaw said he spent his first few weeks of basketball with the coaches sternly directing him. After a while, however, it began to make sense.

“At first I definitely didn’t think I was going to play at all. The coaches were on my case,” he said. “That was to get me better, and that has helped me. It’s helped me go through a hard time.”

Shaw’s experience is nothing new for freshmen, Lawson said. He came from playing Class A basketball in Maine to now playing for a Division II collegiate basketball team. That’s a big change, Lawson said.

“Like all freshmen, Andrew’s biggest adjustment to college basketball has been at the defensive end of the court,” he said.

In his short career, Shaw said that he has noticed the players are a lot quicker and the defense must be more intense or else teams are going to easily score.

“In high school, our biggest game was probably against Cheverus because they had five really good players,” he said. “Now, every team we play has 10 players that are just as good as those five Cheverus players, and you have to play at your best every night or else you’re going to lose.”

In terms of losing, Shaw said that he has avoided putting on the “freshman 15,” in fact, he said he’s in the best shape of his life.

“I’ve actually lost about 15 pounds,” he joked. “It’s a lot of hard work.”

So far it’s paid off.

— Contact Staff Writer Al Edwards at 282-1535, Ext. 323.