By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer

SOUTH PARIS – Like all identical twins, they are almost mirror images right down to their jersey numbers. Leif Kothe wears No. 13, his brother Thomas wears No. 31.

But there are subtle differences in their personalities and subtle differences in their games, too, differences that have helped propel Oxford Hills to tonight’s Eastern Class A semifinal against Gardiner.

Since they began playing basketball together in the third grade, its been impossible for the Kothes to escape their shared identity.

The twins have played varsity for coach Scott Graffam since their sophomore year. They swapped places in and out of the starting lineup last year. They’re both in the starting five this year and even missed one game each with the same injury, a sprained ankle.

The seniors have separated themselves on the court over the last couple of years, however, and they’ll separate themselves off the court next fall by continuing their education and their basketball careers at different colleges.

That can wait, though. The Kothes want to stay together for at least three more games.

“We want to go all the way this year, and we’re expecting, with hard work, to get there,” said Leif.

Hard work helped make them explosive second and third options in the Viking offense behind KVAC Player of the Year Matt McDonnell, and it also helped them define more distinctive roles on the team.

“They’ve both refined their skills,” said Graffam. “When they were freshmen and sophomores, they were both pretty much the same player. Last year, and especially last summer, they put a lot of time into basketball and they started to separate.”

Leif is more of an outside player and slasher on the offensive end and often plays defense against an opposing guard. Thomas, while capable of hitting a 3-pointer, is more of a post presence and defends well inside.

The similarities between the two are just as important to the Vikings’ success. Both are 6-4 and athletic, with great presence and dexterity around the rim, which makes both keys to the Vikings’ fastbreak. Woe to any defender who sees double, a Kothe on one wing and his twin on the other, in a 3-on-2.

There is, of course, the innate ability of identical twins to communicate without speaking that makes the brothers even more dangerous in a 3-on-2, or any other game scenario for that matter. The non-verbal cues usually take a back seat, though, to the x-and-o talks they have after games or at practice.

“They’re always coaching each other,” Graffam said.

“We like to discuss what happened, why we did well or what we need to do better next time,” Leif said. “We make up two/fifths of the starting lineup. If we can get each other on the same page, usually the other people are on the same page, too.”

After the Vikings got pushed around by Bangor during last year’s tournament, the Kothes and their teammates resolved that it wouldn’t happen again. They visited the weight room regularly in the offseason to add 15 pounds to their wiry frames.

The extra bulk should come in handy tonight against the rugged Tigers, who beat the Vikings during the regular season. So should a wiser outlook on what they have to do to win.

“I think the biggest difference between last year and this year is we know how hard it is to get past the semifinal round,” Thomas said. “We thought we were going to breeze right to the Eastern finals last year and it just didn’t happen that way. It’s a different game once you get in the Bangor Auditorium.”

The last time the Vikings walk off the Bangor Auditorium floor, whether it’s this weekend or next after the state title game, will also be the last time the brothers walk off the court together. Thomas is headed to Bates in the fall. Leif is still mulling his options.

“It will be a good change to not be known as the twins,'” Thomas said. “I think we’re both ready for it.”

Ready, but not quite yet willing.