By Michael Hoffer
MaxPreps.com
Local basketball fans had extra incentive to tune into the NCAA men's Division I basketball tournament this year.
While watching as many games as possible and taking part in (for entertainment purposes only) bracket pools were certainly appealing enough reasons to watch, local aficionados (along with most of the nation) also got to exult over the fortunes of Davidson College and its near-run to the Final Four.
The local angle was one Bryant Barr, Davidson's sharp-shooting guard, who just happens to be the all-time leading scorer in Falmouth High School history, the 2006 Mr. Maine Basketball recipient and one of the finest players the state has produced.
With time winding down Sunday and Davidson trailing storied Kansas by two points and a berth in the Final Four at stake in the Midwest Regional Final, a fairytale ending would have called for Barr to take and make the final and winning shot. It didn't quite work out that way. Barr was on the floor as the Wildcats went for the game-winner, but was left watching in vain as teammate Jason Richards' 25-foot prayer at the horn was off-line.
Just like that, the dream had ended.
“When the shot went up and missed, it felt like a big sack of bricks fell on us,” Barr said. “Obviously we were excited to be in the Elite 8 so you'd think we'd be content, but it was really disappointing. It hasn't completely set in yet.”
Riding the brilliance of sophomore sharpshooter Stephen Curry, the coaching wizardry of Bob McKillop and perhaps a little stardust, the Wildcats held off Gonzaga in the first round, enjoyed a dramatic come-from-behind win over Georgetown (a Final Four team last year) in the second round and a decisive victory over Big 10 champion Wisconsin in the Sweet 16 Friday night.
Barr didn't score in the first two tournament games, but had a pair of 3-pointers against the Badgers, hinting at his production to come.
Davidson gave Kansas all it could handle from start to finish Sunday and thanks to Barr's 11 second- half points (he had a short jump shot to go with three 3-pointers), took the Jayhawks down to the wire.
McKillop said on the “Jim Rome Show” Monday that Barr was the second option after Curry. Curry dribbled the ball and looked for a screen, but was swarmed by the Kansas defense. With time about to expire, he dished to Richards, who looked to be the hero, but it wasn't to be.
“We obviously wanted to ball in Stephen's hands at the end of the game,” Barr said. “He was the first look, but coming out of the timeout, he told me to be ready. The play was drawn up so that he could pitch to me as an option. Whoever was guarding me had me pinned in the corner. It was a tough shot. It was in slow motion. It missed and things came back to full speed really fast.
“I felt great the whole second half. My confidence was way up there. You dream as a little kid about making a shot like that. If it came to me, I wouldn't have hesitated.
"A lot of things have to fall into place to make it to the Final Four," he added. "It was a realistic goal because of our coaching staff and the type of players we have.”
Barr is a sophomore math and economics major at the private school near Charlotte, N.C. He also has a pretty famous roommate in Curry.
“He's exactly the same off the court as on,” Barr said, of his teammate who had 125 points in the four tournament contests. “He's down to earth. Unassuming. One of the most humble kids I've ever seen. It's extraordinary how he handles himself. He deserves all the accolades.”
Barr averaged just over five points a game in the regular season and got progressively better as the tournament moved along.
“I didn't play much the first weekend,” he said. “I felt like I played well in the Wisconsin game. Coach showed confidence and trust in me.”
Gus Johnson, the ebullient CBS broadcaster, frequently referred to Barr as the “White Lobster,” a nickname he recently acquired.
“Some of the fans started calling me that on the Davidson message board,” Barr said. “How Gus Johnson found out, I'm not sure, but I've had a ton of texts and e-mails about it. I think it's fun. I've never really had a nickname, but I'm from Maine and I'm definitely the most pasty guy on the team.”
Barr said that he knows in time, he'll appreciate just how fortunate he was to be part of this run for the ages.
“I got to experience things that people never get to experience,” he said. “I don't want to take that for granted. It's disappointing, but I'll tell my kids and grandchildren about it. It went by so fast. We exceeded expectations. We got recognition for our school. We definitely put Davidson on the map. It just hasn't hit me yet how special it was, but in a month or two, I'll say it was the time of my life.”
Hockey All-Stars Named
The Southern Maine Activities Association and Western Class B recently named its hockey all-stars.
In the SMAA, first team forwards included Biddeford's Shawn Grover, Cam Madore and Nick Reny; Deering's Nick Bartlett; Kennebunk's Noel Graydon, Patrick Graydon and Matt Tuccerri; Portland's Sam Guimond and Thornton Academy's Travis Dion.
First team defensemen included Biddeford's Brian Dumoulin; Cheverus' Topher Pochebit; Kennebunk's Corey Cole and Tom Errico; Scarborough's Jake Rutt and Thornton Academy's Sam Butts.
Biddeford's Tony Dube and Kennebunk's Mark Airoldi were the first team goalies.
Second team forwards featured Biddeford's Trevor Fleurent; Bonny Eagle's Travis Dunn; Cheverus' Brian McDonough; Deering's Joe Gildart; Portland's Nick Luce and Joe Quattrucci; South Portland's Nick Fornwalt; Thornton Academy's Cam Green and Westbrook's Zach Johnson.
Second team defensemen were Bonny Eagle's Kayle Hamilton; Deering's Brody Cullenberg; Portland's Marty Rodick; Sanford's Tim Jenkel; South Portland's Danny Maietta and Westbrook's Joey Cloutier.
Portland's Zach Meoli and Jeremy Corthell of Massabesic/OOB were the second team goalies.
In Class B West, the first team included forwards Leland Copenhagen of Greely; Steven Rouillard of Leavitt and Andy Ohlson of York; defensemen Kevin Hart of Greely and Dan Powers of York; and goalie Andrew Loane of York.
The second team was made up of forwards Zack Labbe of Cape Elizabeth; Brian Allyn of Greely and Kevin Maran of York; defensemen Zach Breed of Cape Elizabeth and Zach Chouinard of Leavitt; and goalie Richard Thibault of Leavitt.
Third team players included forwards Sean Eubanks and Max Foner of Cape Elizabeth and Jake Levesque of Winthrop-Hall-Dale; defenseman Nick Randall of Yarmouth and Kal DeCato of York; and goalie Matt Labbe of Greely.
Cape Elizabeth's Lincoln Jordan; Leavitt's Tyler Robitaille and Eric Thiess; Winthrop-Hall-Dale's Mike St. Pierre; Yarmouth's Geoff Bell and York's Paddy Murphy were Honorable Mention selections.
Cape Elizabeth's Owen Pearson and Sam St. Germain; Greely's Tucker Geoffroy and Ryan Howland; Winthrop-Hall-Dale's Cody Patterson and York's Anthony Figliloi made the All-Rookie team.
Michael Hoffer is the sports editor of The Forecaster, a family of weekly newspapers based in Falmouth. Michael can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
