AUBURN – “Titus!” “Titus!” “Titus!”

The chant rang out from the entrance to the Edward Little High School gymnasium Friday as Josh Titus stepped into a long black limousine bound for the Portland Jetport and a flight to Detroit for the NCAA Final Four.

“Titus!” “Titus!” “Titus!”

Precisely two months earlier, the same chant filled the gym as Titus stepped onto the court bound for glory as one of the most inspirational athletes the school has ever seen. His story, and that of Patrick Thibodeau of Greely High School in Cumberland, caught the attention of thousands across the state and the country, and eventually, the Maine McDonald’s Owner/Operators Association, which decided to send both on an all-expenses-paid trip to Saturday’s games at Ford Field.

“I found out late Wednesday night,” Titus said. “I was surprised.”

Titus, a senior with high-functioning autism, flew to Detroit with his father Andy, older brother, Nathan, and Thibodeau and his family. But before he did, he got a grand send-off from faculty, staff and fellow students at the high school.

During a Feb. 3 game against Leavitt Area High School, Titus relinquished his duties as manager for the boys’ varsity basketball team for one night and donned the Red Eddies’ white-and-maroon uniform for Senior Night. He entered the game early in the fourth quarter and, in five emotional minutes of action, scored nine points and pulled down a pair of rebounds. When he left the game, fans from EL and Leavitt joined in a standing ovation, and Titus was later presented with the game ball.

What coach Mike Adams and Athletic Director Dan Deshaies originally envisioned as a reward for Titus’ hard work and school spirit turned into a celebration of not only Titus, but high school athletics, Adams said.

“It’s become so much bigger than we ever imagined,” he said. “We just did this for Josh to start with, but we’ve really seen the big picture of what we’ve done and how many people we’ve affected by this, how many people Josh has affected by this.”

Last month, Titus and Thibodeau, a student manager at Greely with Down syndrome who suited up for his team and scored six points on the same night, received the first “Spirit of the Game Award” from the Maine McDonald’s owner/operators. Jason McElwain, the autistic team manager who made national headlines three years ago by scoring 20 points in the last game of his high school career in Rochester, N.Y., presented the award.

On Friday, Gov. John Baldacci proclaimed it “Patrick Thibodeau and Josh Titus Day.”

“For Josh to have all these good things, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person,” Adams said. “For him to appreciate it as much as he will makes it all that much more important.”

Before sending him off Friday, Titus’ teammates gathered to wish him well, and to make a few requests.

“Just get me Tyler Hansbrough’s autograph,” senior Shane Ciriello said, referring to the University of North Carolina star. “That’s all I want.”

They then escorted Titus through a path of their fellow students lined up along the basketball court to local McDonald’s owner/operator David Hamilton, who jokingly requested Titus root for his favorite team, the University of Connecticut, which faces Michigan State on Saturday.

“I’ve got North Carolina winning all the way,” Titus said. “I’ve got UConn and the University of North Carolina in the national championship game.”

Hamilton said McDonald’s representatives jumped at the chance to sponsor Titus and Thibodeau’s trip “because both Josh and Patrick are great kids. Every team should have some inspiration.”

“It’s awesome for me personally to have Josh there as one of our guys, if you will,” Hamilton said.

Titus and Thibodeau are scheduled to be featured during CBS’ Final Four pregame show, which will air from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. But Titus didn’t seem very interested when asked if he was ready to become a national celebrity.

“I’m excited to watch the games,” he said.