Corey Thibodeau had a sensational senior season at Old Town High School, sparking the upstart Indians all the way to the Eastern Maine Class A basketball championship game against Bangor.

Still, prior to this season, he thought this might be his last year of basketball. Now, it looks like he’ll be playing four more seasons.

Thibodeau, a high-scoring, 6-foot guard, was shocked when University of Maine coach Rudy Keeling called him for the first time nine days ago and offered him a scholarship to play for the Black Bears next season.

Thibodeau said Monday night he plans to accept the offer. Under NCAA rules, Keeling is not allowed to comment until Thibodeau signs.

“I couldn’t believe it. It was unexpected,” Thibodeau said of the scholarship offer. “At the beginning of the year, I figured no one wanted me.”

Thibodeau, who said he was recruited hard by Husson College, hit a Class A-record 16 3-pointers en route to the tournament Most Valuable Player award. He averaged almost 27 points per game and was named the Big East Conference Player of the Year.

Thibodeau, played most of the season as a shooting guard for coach Marty Clark at Old Town, but could become a point guard at UMaine. He joins Senegalese 7-footers Mamadou N’diaye and Ndongo N’diaye in Maine’s 1996 recruiting class.

According to Clark, Thibodeau is an emotional player who has outstanding quickness, tremendous shooting range, and seems to pick up his intensity in close games and pressure situations.

“He’ll go hard constantly,” Clark said. “Corey saved his best for the end, with games on the line, and he’s a great clutch foul shooter. He handles the ball so well, and can go left or right so quickly.”

Clark said Thibodeau, who led the Big East in scoring and steals, has enough athleticism to compete at the Division I level. He pointed out that Thibodeau finished second in the state in the triple jump last spring with a leap of 42 feet, 10 1/4 inches.

Thibodeau said he was seriously considering giving up basketball to attend the Boston Architectural Center before Keeling called.

Calais High School senior center Kelly Dow, a NEWS All-Maine second-team selection a year ago, has decided to attend Husson College in Bangor.

“She’s not just a good big girl, she’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the state and she’s very good at bringing the ball up against pressure,” said Calais coach Bob McShane. “She’s a great passer and she blocks shots. She’s very versatile.”

“She’s one of the best players in the state. We’re really fortunate to get her,” said Husson coach Kissy Walker. “I really like her size and quickness.”

Walker expects Dow, who also plans to play softball for coach Bob Ackley, to make an immediate impact in the frontcourt. She will help take up the slack left by the departure of Tara Leavitt and Becky Moholland.

The 6-foot-2 Dow, also a top-notch softball pitcher, volleyball player, and soccer player, according to McShane, scored more than 1,000 points in her career and averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, 3.7 assists, and two blocks per game this past season.

McShane explained those statistics pertain to games in which she played a lot of minutes. He said she was often rested in blowouts.

Dow, who said she was recruited by approximately a dozen schools, said she chose Husson over Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

“Husson was closer to home,” said Dow. “I like Husson’s basketball program, I know the coach fairly well because I have been to camps there, and I know a lot of the girls who play there.”

Dow said that she has a lot of work to do to get ready to play for Husson.

“I’ve got to step my game up,” said Dow. “I’ve got to work on everything. Hopefully, I’ll be ready for next year.”