Thornton Academy holds off Souhegan for win in Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament

NASHUA - The Thornton Academy boys basketball team blew open a close game in the fourth quarter and held off Souhegan for a 54-35 win Saturday at the Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament.

Quinn Richardson-Newton and Kevin Barrett each had 13 points to lead the Trojans, from Sacco, Maine, to a third-place finish. Richardson-Newton was also named to the all-tournament team after averaging 20.3 points in the tourney's three games.

Souhegan got 14 points from Brock Lefebvre, but no one else was in double figures for the Sabers. Matt Segul added eight points and Isaac Nevrla had six, while Brian Dworkin, who had averaged 18.5 in the first two games, had just five.

Thornton jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter before Souhegan made it a six-point game at halftime. The Trojans took a 36-23 lead with 3:55 left in the third quarter, but the Sabers went on a 12-4 run to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth.

But Souhegan wouldn't score again, as Thornton outscored the Sabers 14-0 in the fourth quarter to hang on to the win.

The start of the game was delayed almost 15 minutes when officials realized Thornton players didn't have mouthguards, which aren't required in Maine. The officials wouldn't start the game until the Trojans had mouthguards.

Souhegan returns to regular-season action Jan. 3, when the Sabers host Lebanon.