Blackstone Valley Pic of the Day Sponsor PORTS STHE TIMES, Saturday, February 27, 2021

BOYS HOCKEY – DIVISION I SEMIFINALS Mount works overtime

File photo The No. 5 Blackstone Valley Prep boys bas- ketball team downed No. 12 Ponaganset Fri- day night to advance to the D-III quarterfinals. Mendez guides BVP to home win Pride forward notches 1,000th career board By BRENDAN McGAIR [email protected] CUMBERLAND – You can teach a player how to properly box out. As for having a nose for where the ball caroms off the rim and backboard, let’s just say Blackstone Valley Prep senior Xavier Mendez has a gift. In what’s already been a season full of milestones, Mendez entered Friday’s Division III boys basketball prelimi- nary-round clash against Ponaganset in search of 20 rebounds to eclipse 1,000 Photos by Ernest A. Brown in his career. What does the big man do? The Mount St. Charles hockey team found itself in a two-goal hole after one period Friday night against No. 4 La Salle, but thanks to the play of He rips down a career-best 29 boards Eddie Mulligan (4), Matt Mahoney (12) and Micaiah Bascombe, the Mounties took Game 1 of the state semifinal series 3-2 in overtime. as the fifth-seeded Pride rolled past the 12th-seeded Chieftains, 63-33. Top line delivers in comeback win over La Salle See MENDEZ, page B2 By BRANDEN MELLO again in the biggest moment of [email protected] the campaign. Senior defensem- an Eddie Mulligan put a shot on WOONSOCKET —The con- net that La Salle goalie Maxwell tributions from Mount’s second Cute blocked, but no Ram picked Robertson and third lines were key in help- up Bascombe in front of the net. ing the top-seeded Mounties The hat-trick hero from the overcome a two-goal first-peri- quarterfinal round flicked the heats up od deficit in Game 1 of the state puck into the net to give the semifinals Friday night against Mounties their only lead of the No. 4 La Salle. night in a 3-2 overtime victory at But when the Mounties earned a loud Adelard Arena. for Patriots a power play early in the first over- “Puck came out loose and time session, coach Matt Merten we we’re talking all game about Senior nets career-high knew exactly who he wanted on how we needed to get to the net the ice with a chance to move because there were rebounds get- 24 points in playoff win within a game of the state final. ting out,” Bascombe said. “We “You have to go to your best just wanted to crash the net and By BRANDEN MELLO line and every team would do the use our body. On that play, I just [email protected] same thing,” Merten said. “They got the puck, turned and shot and came through.” it went in. Going forward, we LINCOLN — Davies Tech senior wing The trio of Micaiah Bascombe, need to get our heads ready ear- Cheyenne Robertson had good feeling Matt Mahoney and Cee-Jay lier and play a full three periods.” she was going to play well in Friday af- Laquerre carried the Mounties ternoon’s Division III preliminary-round all season and they came through See OVERTIME, page B3 contest against No. 4 Block Island. “Before we had warmups, I had weight training at the end of the school day and I “We just wanted to crash the net and use just started shooting around,” Robertson. our body. On that play, I just got the puck, “I was making shots and I felt like I was getting hot, so I was ready to play. I just turned and shot and it went in.” had a feeling.”

— Mount junior Micaiah Bascombe See ROBERTSON, page B2

Mount sinks Pawtucket co-op in unprecedented tie

Photos by Ernest A. Brown After Pawtucket co-op won the 400-yard freestyle relay uncontested, Friday afternoon’s Division III quarterfinal against Mount St. Charles was tied at 38 to end the meet. In an unprecedented situa- tion, the schools had to turn to the RIIL to figure out who advances to the semifinals. The league ruled that because the Mounties won more races (6-5), Matt McGarry, right and the Mounties moved on with a 39-38 vbictory over Jacob Santiago, left, and the Tigers at the Woonsocket YMCA. Turn to page B3 for more photos from the thrilling meet. B2 THE TIMES Sports Saturday, February 27, 2021 was inching closer to joining another Mendez scored 10 of the 17 points HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULE “1,000” club. that BVP put up in the first quarter. Mendez Mendez did pick up three fouls in What was a 10-point game at halftime SATURDAY Cumberland at Tiverton Continued from page B1 BOYS Hockey the first half, though that wasn’t going soon escalated to a 21-point lead with Basketball 6 p.m., Division I semifinals, Game In a bit of irony, Mendez scored his to slow him down on a night when his 4:32 remaining in the third quarter. 2 p.m. Division II preliminary round, 2, La Salle at Burrillville/Ponaganset/ 1,000th career point against the same relentless pursuit of missed shots made Mendez and Payette were compli- Lincoln at Portsmouth; Toll Gate at Bay View Ponaganset squad back on Feb. 6. To him the talk of the state’s high school mentary of the performances turned in Burrillville Swimming mark that occasion, BVP head coach basketball community. by fellow Pride starters Jordan Mendes Hockey TBA Division I, II, III quarterfinals Kevin Payette presented Mendez with “I have to leave it all out there. It’s (game-high 21 points), Daniel Gar- 8 p.m. Division I semifinals, Game 2, (teams TBD) a commemorative ball prior to a recent my senior year,” said Mendez, who cia (10 points), Jaiuan Winfield (eight Bishop Hendricken at Burrillville Indoor Track TBA Division I semifinals, Game 2, 1:30 p.m. State Championship (at home game. As Mendez walked away received a round of applause from his points), and Xavier Lora (4-of-4 at the Mount St. Charles at La Salle PCTA) from Payette, the youngster said, “One teammates after Payette relayed what free-throw line). Swimming thousand rebounds next?” No. 12 in a BVP uniform achieved “Dan played sparingly last year … TBA Division I, II, III quarterfinals SUNDAY That question led to a fact-find- during his postgame address. maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Now he’s out (teams TBD) BOYS ing mission. After consulting the stat As thrilling as it was, Mendez didn’t there for 30 minutes. Same thing with Indoor Track Basketball sheets and watching game film, Pay- become overly ecstatic. He stayed Xavier. He was a full-time JV guy last 9:30 a.m. State Championship (at 1 p.m. Division I preliminary round, ette and his assistants determined that even-keeled, but that’s just the type of year. Now he’s out there the whole PCTA) Westerly at Cumberland Mendez was 150 rebounds away from person he is. Individual moments have time,” said Payette. GIRLS 4 p.m. Division III preliminary round, becoming known from writing down their place so long as they’re part of a Added Mendez, “Dan has worked Basketball Mount St. Charles at Moses Brown another four-digit number next to his winning story. his butt off to get to this point. I’m so 1 p.m. Division II preliminary round, name. “No matter what, I’m doing it,” said happy for my fellow senior. Jordan is With not much time left in the reg- Mendez. “Steals, deflections, assists, the future. He’s been doing great stuff BLACKSTONE VALLEY MEMORIES ular season, Payette believed the Pride everything … I just want to do what I this season.” would need to reach the Division III can to help the team.” BVP opened the season with three February 27 semifinals in order for Mendez to have What shouldn’t get lost in the shuf- straight losses. Since then, the Pride a realistic shot at obtaining the illustri- fle is the fact that Mendez achieved have won seven of eight. Next up is a 1969 Steve Strzesak rolled a single string of 212 and a ous rebounding mark. In no time, those double-double status on Friday. He quarterfinal-round game against No. 4 high-three series of 602 to capture weekly honors in best-laid plans went out the window. finished with 18 points, most of them seed St. Patrick that will take place ei- Jerry’s Tenpin Bowling League at the Lincoln Lanes. Other Mendez opened Friday’s game with of the second-chance variety. Yet this ther Sunday or Monday. leaders were Roland Duhaime 594, Steve Williams 585, Ar- two hoops that came off two offensive night was about the Hakeem Olaju- “We started slow, then guys who mand Harnois 565, Bill Lemay 562, Russ Labreque 559, Rene rebounds. A short time later, he grabbed won-esque display he put on when it only had a handful of practices, they Gagne 556, Frank Williams 548, Don Sosville 542, Bob Foley three (maybe four?) offensive rebounds came to rebounding. had to keep up with [Mendez],” said 537, Jerry Magnan 536, Tom Bowman 532 and Jerry Lindley before finally getting one to drop. “He seems to be a second ahead of Payette. “This group has really come 531. Payette never once informed Men- everyone. If it’s coming off, he knows together.” dez how close he was to 1,000 career where it’s going,” said Payette. “He has 1989 Jim Dickinson’s two-handed breakaway dunk for boards. As the first half gave way to the a natural ability and we’ve been so for- Follow Brendan McGair on Twit- Lincoln’s final two points was a fitting exclamation second half, it was clear that Mendez tunate to have him.” ter @BWMcGair03 point to another wonderful performance by the seven-footer as he canned 26 points (10-of-14 from the floor), hauled down 17 rebounds and blocked five shots in pacing the Lions to a 76-64 win over coach Ernie DiGregorio’s North Providence Cougars and advanced to the state Class B Super Sunday fi- NBA nals at the Civic Center. Wayne Medeiros hooped 19 points and Daren Lee, the team’s playmaker, handed out 10 assists. “I think these guys are finally realizing how good they can play,” said Lincoln coach George Aragao. Walker guides C’s past Indiana The Blackstone Valley will have four representa- 1999 BOSTON (AP) — Kemba Walker in four games. corner and Theis hit one on the other tives in the semifinals of the R. I. Wrestling School- made two late free throws and scored a Domantas Sabonis led the Pacers end. But on Indiana’s next possession boy Championships. Cumberland qualified two wrestlers season-high 32 points to help the Bos- with 24 points and nine assists. Sabonis got a friendly bounce off the in 119-pounder Steve LaPlante (two first-period falls) and ton Celtics snap a three-game losing A 12-4 run by the Celtics, capped by top of the backboard on a deep 3 that 125-pounder Mike Lambert (who pinned CF standout Nelson streak with a 118-112 win over the In- a driving layup by Walker, gave Boston trimmed Boston’s lead to 115-112. Sousa). Lincoln coach Jon Wigdor has Rob Parascandolo in diana Pacers on Friday night. a 110-101 cushion in the fourth quarter. The Celtics nearly got an 8-second the 171-pound division and Central Falls’ heavyweight Gus Daniel Theis added 17 points and Indiana pulled within 112-109 on a violation, but Walker hustled the ball Rodrigues will face a grappler still to be determined in the Jaylen Brown finished with 15. layup by Sabonis with 1:23 to play. A up the court and was fouled, and con- semis. Indiana led by as many as 14 points turnover by Jaylen Brown then gave nected on his two ensuing free throws in the first half, but never led in the final the ball back to Indiana. with 11.6 seconds remaining to help — By BILL MULHOLLAND 24 minutes in losing for the third time Holiday missed a 3-pointer from the seal it.

GIRLS BASKETBALL – DIVISION III PRELIMINARY ROUND everything tonight and it wasn’t junior trio, but he also knows they and a pair of 3-pointers, while So- ical of what we’ve had in the past. just jump on Keeara’s back and let need to play the game at a deliberate phia Williams scored 10 of her 11 Cheyenne can bring it. She’s got Robertson her lead us to the win. We’ve been pace to have a chance to pull off the points in the second half. a quick release, so if you give her Continued from page B1 telling the girls since the beginning upset. Junior Dorothy Tavares didn’t Robertson and Howard put the space, she can get hot.” Robertson knocked down three of the year we have balance and we play in the first meeting, but she will game away in the opening eight Handy went to his bench in the 3-pointers in the opening quarter can get these openings if we exe- suit up at Lovett Gymnasium. points, as each player outscored third quarter and the Hurricanes and actually outscored the visit- cute. It’s good to see them execute “We think we can play better the Hurricanes. Robertson knocked worked their way back into the ing Hurricanes in the first half by like that.” than we did last time and we were down three 3-pointers and scored 12 game thanks to a diamond-and-one four points. The senior sharpshoot- Davies Tech (4-4) won its fourth in the game until halftime,” Handy points in the opening quarter, while press that forced turnovers and easy er finished the afternoon with five game in its last five contests to earn said. “We totally gassed out, so Howard added nine to stake the baskets for the visitors. When We- 3-pointers and a career-high 24 a spot in the Division III quarterfi- we need to slow the game down hosts to a 26-5 advantage. Senior ber made her second 3-pointer of points, while senior point guard nals Monday night against one-loss on offense because they’re a fast forward Ana Gomes scored four of the game early in the fourth quarter, Keeara Howard netted 13 points in North Smithfield. The good news team. They have some big girls, but her eight points in the second quar- Block Island only trailed by 15. a 57-43 victory at Gaskin Alumni for the Patriots is they just saw Cal- they’re younger. Those three juniors ter to send the Patriots into halftime The Hurricanes had a few more Hall. la Puccetti, Laura Matchett and the are tough. We played a special de- with a 24-point lead. chances to close the gap, but a “This was a great performance Northmen last week in Lincoln, fense on them that worked for a lit- “Jayleanna Sanchez can do the 3-pointer from Sanchez and baskets because we had a little bit of the the bad news is the Northmen were tle while.” same thing as Cheyenne on the oth- from Howard and Robertson se- outside game and we were pushing dominant in the second half of a 62- Block Island made a second-half er side when she’s on,” Handy said. cured the win. the ball up the floor and we were 35 rout. push by employing a full-court di- “She doesn’t seem to get as open as looking good,” Davies coach Joe Handy knows the Patriots need to amond-and-one press. Cally Weber Cheyenne, but we have a good out- Follow Branden Mello on Twit- Handy said. “We had a little bit of slow down the Northmen’s talented led the Hurricanes with 16 points side shooting game. That’s not typ- ter @Branden_Mello

BOYS HOCKEY – DIVISION II QUARTERFINALS Cote, No. 4 North Smithfield shut out No. 5 Portsmouth By BRANDEN MELLO The hosts put the game away with three [email protected] goals in the opening four minutes of the sec- ond period. At 1:47, defensemen Will Grant NORTH SMITHFIELD — The last goalie and Max Mattos created a chance for forward to win a playoff game for the North Smith- Chris Marcoux, who fired a shot past Patriot field hockey team was Deven Cote when goalie Sam Stamoulis. Gravel and Weiker the junior was superb between the pipes to connected with senior Luke Pasquariello at clinch the Division II title in Game 3 in 2016 3:35 and junior forward Cam Cabral finish against Portsmouth. the barrage with a goal at 3:55. Mattos and One of the kids in the stands at Meehan Grant were awarded assists. Auditorium that March night was Cote’s “That second line had more zone time younger brother, Ethan, who was in seventh than our first line tonight,” Shatraw said. grade at the time and until that point had no “These guys are firing on all cylinders right interest in playing hockey. now. I told them in between periods that if After that season the younger Cote decid- we can get that second line going and doing ed to follow in his older brother’s footsteps everything right we’re going to be very dan- and Thursday night at Rhode Island Sports gerous.” Center, Ethan Cote became the latest goalie Cote has seen the Northmen struggle as a to win a playoff game for the Northmen. Just freshman, make the playoffs as a sophomore like his brother five seasons ago, Ethan Cote before struggling again last season, so he produced a shutout against the No. 5 Patriots, knows how far the team has come going into while senior Evan Gravel had a goal and an Saturday’s semifinal. assist and a trio of others had a pair of assists “We’ve really bonded as a team and we’re in the No. 4 Northmen’s 4-0 Division II quar- working hard,” Cote said. “We’ve gotten so terfinal win at Rhode Island Sports Center. close over the last few weeks and I wouldn’t “My brother was the reason I started play- trade this team for the world. We’re just play- ing hockey and I was a backup as a fresh- ing together. We know it’s do or die at this man, but I never thought the team would point of the season. We’re here as a team, not be here doing this,” Cote said. “I remember as individuals and we’re starting to realize being in middle school and it was a crazy at- File photo that. It’s clicking.” mosphere with my parents. My brother going North Smithfield seniors Evan Gravel, left, and Luke Pasquariello, right, scored goals to help the crazy after that win really got my interested No. 4 Northmen beat No. 5 Portsmouth, 4-0, in the Division II quarterfinals Thursday night. Follow Branden Mello on Twitter @Bran- in hockey.” tic for us.” affair will take place at RISC. den_Mello “Ethan just has an incredible work ethic, North Smithfield (8-2) will play its D-II It took the Northmen just 2 minutes, 52 North Smithfield 4, Portsmouth 0 he’s the first guy on the ice at practice and single-elimination semifinal contest Satur- seconds of the opening period to score the Portsmouth 0 0 0 – 0 the last one off,” North Smithfield coach Ben day night, but the Northmen won’t know only goal they would need when senior de- North Smithfield 1 3 0 – 4 their opponent or the venue until Friday fenseman Weiker found Gravel for a pow- First period – NS, Evan Gravel (Logan Weiker), pp, 2:52. Shatraw said. “He’s always working with Second period – NS, Chris Marcoux (Will Grant, Max Mattos), 1:47; our goalie coach and he’s always working by night because No. 1 Cranston West hosts No. er-play goal. Shatraw said his second line NS, Luke Pasquariello (Gravel, Weiker), 3:35; NS, Cam Cabral himself on the side. The work is showing be- 8 PSW at Cranston Vets. If the Falcons win, outplayed his first for most of the opening (Grant, Mattos), 3:55. Third period – No scoring. cause last year he was a little shaky, but this the Northmen have to hit the road, but if the period, but they didn’t get their reward until Goalies – P, Sam Stamoulis; NS, Ethan Cote. year he’s really brought it. He’s been fantas- Saints pull off the upset then the all-Valley early in the second.