By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

Ian Nono, who immigrated to this country from Sudan as a young boy, never played basketball until the fifth grade. Until then, his game was soccer.

While watching some neighborhood boys playing basketball on a court at Reiche School in Portland, Nono asked if he could join in.

The boys said Nono could play on one condition: he had to make a 3-point shot. Nono made the shot and the rest is history. 

He went on to play for middle and high school teams in Portland, Chicago and Minnesota and said he hopes to play in college or at a post-graduate prep school next fall.

During this past winter, Nono played for A.R. Gould School. Following his team’s loss to Vinalhaven in the semifinals of the Class D West boys high school basketball tournament last week, Nono and his teammates headed home.

Nono’s home however is different from those of most teenagers. He lives in Long Creek Youth Development Center, a correctional facility for juvenile offenders located in South Portland.

Approved by the Maine Department of Education, A.R. Gould is contained within Long Creek and is responsible for educating juveniles adjudicated by Maine state courts.

   The school’s team, called the Bears, was comprised of 10 players including Nono, the team’s captain, who was a varsity player at Deering High School in Portland last year.

The Bears were required to play all regular season games at home, and compiled an 11-0 record and earned a No. 2 ranking in the Heal Point standings kept by the Maine Principals Association. 

Gov. John Baldacci had to approve the team’s request to travel to Augusta for the tournament games held at the Civic Center last week.

Long Creek Superintendent Rodney Bouffard said he was pleased with the way players represented the school and the institution.

“I think they did us proud,” Bouffard said. 

“I think they were incredible sportsmen. This is an opportunity they will remember for the rest of their lives. By them being involved in activities like this, it builds intrinsic motivation and changes the way they think. From my perspective, we won before we walked onto that floor,” Bouffard said.

Led by Nono’s record-setting 45-point scoring performance, A.R. Gould won its quarterfinal match against Greenville 72-59 before falling to Vinalhaven, 55-45.

“It’s amazing just to watch him,” said Athletic Director Kim Deering. “Everybody’s in awe.”

Nono, 17, is a 6-foot-1 senior who weighs 180 pounds. He played forward for the Bears, who finished the season with a record of 12-1. Nono’s repertoire included accurate 3-point shooting and dunks featuring vertical leaping ability.

“The nickname we called him here is ‘the beast,’” said Coach Tom Profenno. “When he decides to go to the hole, he can’t be stopped.”

Overall, Nono scored 60 points in the tournament. He also had many rebounds, blocked shots and assists.

“I’m proud of our season,” Nono said. “I know we made a point…to people who doubted us out there. It showed a lot of people that we deserve a chance to play ball. We can play.”

Nono said if he didn’t get into college he would go to a prep school for a year to see what he can get out of it.

“There’s a few opportunities for me,” Nono said.

“He’s a great student,” said Assistant Principal Jim Boisvert. 

“He’s very bright. He’s very goal-oriented. He’s said he wants to go on to college and he certainly has the academic ability to do that,” Boisvert said.

Boisvert said Nono only needs to pass one more course to graduate from A.R. Gould. 

Like most young men and women, Nono has hopes, dreams and aspirations for a good quality of life.

Nono said he made some bad choices that led to his sentencing to Long Creek, though he wouldn’t elaborate on specifics. Still, Nono said he takes full responsibility for those decisions and said he does regret making them.

“I can’t really make an excuse for it,” Nono said. “It’s something that happened. It’s my fault. I take the blame for what I did. If I do something, I admit to it.”

 Nono said he is working hard to get himself rehabilitated so he can become a productive member of society. He looks forward to graduating soon from A.R. Gould and to his Long Creek release expected later this spring.

“At Long Creek there’s a program that you do. If you behave you get a phase every month. I’m doing pretty good. I’m on the right track in my program,” Nono said.

After college, Nono wants to be an entrepreneur and business owner.

“I want to go to college to learn about business, how to be able to manage your own business, that’s kind of what I’m looking forward to,” said Nono. “I like being my own man.”

 Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237 or news@inthesentry.com.