- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,190,684
- Reaction score
- 59
PROVIDENCE – Bam Adams dribbled behind his back, asked his own student section for quiet while at the foul line and flashed a wide grin when it was all over.
The clean two-hand slam on a lob from Maleaq Roderick, the ice-cold elbow jumper that served as the backbreaker, the joy he showed through all 32 minutes Thursday night – Amica Mutual Pavilion was the sophomore forward's personal playground.
Mt. Hope leaned on its new star and another strong effort in the paint from Jack Thompson. This visit to the Division II boys basketball final ended the same way a trip to the Division III championship game closed last season on this same floor.
The Huskies were on top again after a 67-56 triumph, one that denied Burrillville a finishing touch to what was a Cinderella run through the bottom half of the bracket. Mt. Hope proved one game too far for the Broncos to upset their way into the 16-team state field and claim a first title since their Class C triumph in 1988-89.
“Any game I go into I just try to have as much fun as I can – which I usually do,” Adams said. “Being able to talk to my crowd and talk to the other crowd – maybe not as much – is amazing.”
Burrillville was within two possessions after an Alton Kelley drive to the rim when Adams popped up with what proved to be the game’s deciding moment. He buried a mid-range shot from in front of his own bench that made it a 60-53 game with 1:44 to play, and the mood in the building changed suddenly. The Huskies had taken everything the Broncos could offer, and there was no chance to swing again.
“We have so much chemistry together,” Thompson said. “Everything just flows together. It’s almost like we know what to do before it even happens.”
Adams went behind his back at midcourt to break Burrillville’s press on the ensuing possession, and Thompson wound up with an easy finish at the rim on a pass from Ben Peters. The Broncos missed a 3-pointer at the other end, Adams was fouled with 51.6 seconds left and the Huskies student section broke into ‘MVP’ chants while he stepped to the line. Adams politely waved for quiet, buried both free throws to make it a double-digit advantage and then started the celebration all by himself.
“Having that ability to flush people out is also good for me,” Adams said. “Being able to knock shots down when I need to is great.”
Mt. Hope built a 43-28 lead late in the third quarter thanks to an 11-0 run, and Burrillville (13-11) finally looked out of magic after road upsets of Chariho, East Greenwich and St. Raphael earlier in the tournament. Peters sparked the burst with a 3-pointer and Thompson finished it with a spinning layup inside, one of his eight field goals in a 19-point effort.
“We knew they were a fast-paced team,” Adams said. “We just had to slow them down. That was our goal today, and that’s pretty much what we did.”
The Broncos had a couple more pushes left into the fourth, closing the gap to 54-48 when Dylan Kafalas buried the second of his back-to-back 3-pointers. Thompson answered with a left-handed layup inside and Will Francis added a putback to stretch it back to a 10-point game. The Huskies (21-1) had just 2:44 to go while sealing a 20th straight league victory.
“It felt a little bit better not to have it come down to a buzzer-beater at the last second,” Thompson said.
Mt. Hope needed a pair of late Jacob Tamke free throws to survive against Times2, 73-72, at this same venue last year. The Huskies made life a little easier on themselves in this return trip and added a fourth championship banner since 2018-19. Now their eyes turn to the 16-team state field and a date with Mount Pleasant in the opening round.
“We have so many fans who came out and always come out,” Adams said. “We can make so much noise.”
Burrillville would have jumped all the way to the No. 12 seed in the state field with a victory while pushing East Providence, Cranston West, Smithfield and Shea all down one spot and knocking the Avengers out of the field. Now the Raiders will survive as the No. 15 seed after the eventual Division III champion checks in at No. 16 and leaves East Greenwich on the outside. Exeter-West Greenwich and Ponaganset will decide that last berth in a 1:30 p.m. tip here Saturday.
BURRILLVILLE (56): Dylan Kafalas 6 5-5 20, Evan Goulet 1 0-0 3, Ian Oliver 3 2-3 10, Cameron Lacey 0 0-0 0, Mason Gaucher 0 0-0 0, Brayton Tupper 3 1-2 10, Alton Kelley 2 0-0 4, Joseph Godzwon 0 0-0 0, Jack Belluzzi 3 3-5 9, Tyler Brewer 0 0-0 0, Michael O’Rourke 0 0-0 0, Dylan LaFleur 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 11-15 56.
MT. HOPE (67): Marquell Roderick 1 0-0 2, Jacob Tamke 3 3-5 9, Ben Peters 3 0-0 9, Bam Adams 8 4-4 20, Maleaq Roderick 2 1-2 5, Jack Thompson 8 3-4 19, Will Francis 1 1-2 3. Totals 26 12-17 67.
Halftime – MH, 27-22. 3-point FG – B 9 (Tupper 3, Goulet, Kafalas 3, Oliver 2), MH 3 (Peters 3).
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Mt. Hope boys basketball beats Burrillville 67-56 for D-II title
Continue reading...
The clean two-hand slam on a lob from Maleaq Roderick, the ice-cold elbow jumper that served as the backbreaker, the joy he showed through all 32 minutes Thursday night – Amica Mutual Pavilion was the sophomore forward's personal playground.
Mt. Hope leaned on its new star and another strong effort in the paint from Jack Thompson. This visit to the Division II boys basketball final ended the same way a trip to the Division III championship game closed last season on this same floor.
The Huskies were on top again after a 67-56 triumph, one that denied Burrillville a finishing touch to what was a Cinderella run through the bottom half of the bracket. Mt. Hope proved one game too far for the Broncos to upset their way into the 16-team state field and claim a first title since their Class C triumph in 1988-89.
You must be registered for see images attach
“Any game I go into I just try to have as much fun as I can – which I usually do,” Adams said. “Being able to talk to my crowd and talk to the other crowd – maybe not as much – is amazing.”
Burrillville was within two possessions after an Alton Kelley drive to the rim when Adams popped up with what proved to be the game’s deciding moment. He buried a mid-range shot from in front of his own bench that made it a 60-53 game with 1:44 to play, and the mood in the building changed suddenly. The Huskies had taken everything the Broncos could offer, and there was no chance to swing again.
“We have so much chemistry together,” Thompson said. “Everything just flows together. It’s almost like we know what to do before it even happens.”
Adams went behind his back at midcourt to break Burrillville’s press on the ensuing possession, and Thompson wound up with an easy finish at the rim on a pass from Ben Peters. The Broncos missed a 3-pointer at the other end, Adams was fouled with 51.6 seconds left and the Huskies student section broke into ‘MVP’ chants while he stepped to the line. Adams politely waved for quiet, buried both free throws to make it a double-digit advantage and then started the celebration all by himself.
“Having that ability to flush people out is also good for me,” Adams said. “Being able to knock shots down when I need to is great.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Mt. Hope built a 43-28 lead late in the third quarter thanks to an 11-0 run, and Burrillville (13-11) finally looked out of magic after road upsets of Chariho, East Greenwich and St. Raphael earlier in the tournament. Peters sparked the burst with a 3-pointer and Thompson finished it with a spinning layup inside, one of his eight field goals in a 19-point effort.
“We knew they were a fast-paced team,” Adams said. “We just had to slow them down. That was our goal today, and that’s pretty much what we did.”
The Broncos had a couple more pushes left into the fourth, closing the gap to 54-48 when Dylan Kafalas buried the second of his back-to-back 3-pointers. Thompson answered with a left-handed layup inside and Will Francis added a putback to stretch it back to a 10-point game. The Huskies (21-1) had just 2:44 to go while sealing a 20th straight league victory.
“It felt a little bit better not to have it come down to a buzzer-beater at the last second,” Thompson said.
You must be registered for see images attach
Mt. Hope needed a pair of late Jacob Tamke free throws to survive against Times2, 73-72, at this same venue last year. The Huskies made life a little easier on themselves in this return trip and added a fourth championship banner since 2018-19. Now their eyes turn to the 16-team state field and a date with Mount Pleasant in the opening round.
“We have so many fans who came out and always come out,” Adams said. “We can make so much noise.”
Burrillville would have jumped all the way to the No. 12 seed in the state field with a victory while pushing East Providence, Cranston West, Smithfield and Shea all down one spot and knocking the Avengers out of the field. Now the Raiders will survive as the No. 15 seed after the eventual Division III champion checks in at No. 16 and leaves East Greenwich on the outside. Exeter-West Greenwich and Ponaganset will decide that last berth in a 1:30 p.m. tip here Saturday.
BURRILLVILLE (56): Dylan Kafalas 6 5-5 20, Evan Goulet 1 0-0 3, Ian Oliver 3 2-3 10, Cameron Lacey 0 0-0 0, Mason Gaucher 0 0-0 0, Brayton Tupper 3 1-2 10, Alton Kelley 2 0-0 4, Joseph Godzwon 0 0-0 0, Jack Belluzzi 3 3-5 9, Tyler Brewer 0 0-0 0, Michael O’Rourke 0 0-0 0, Dylan LaFleur 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 11-15 56.
MT. HOPE (67): Marquell Roderick 1 0-0 2, Jacob Tamke 3 3-5 9, Ben Peters 3 0-0 9, Bam Adams 8 4-4 20, Maleaq Roderick 2 1-2 5, Jack Thompson 8 3-4 19, Will Francis 1 1-2 3. Totals 26 12-17 67.
Halftime – MH, 27-22. 3-point FG – B 9 (Tupper 3, Goulet, Kafalas 3, Oliver 2), MH 3 (Peters 3).
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Mt. Hope boys basketball beats Burrillville 67-56 for D-II title
Continue reading...
