Old Rochester boys basketball clinches spot in MIAA Div. 3 tournament with win over Dighton-Rehoboth
Jan 30, 2024
Senior John Butler guards Dighton-Rehoboth junior Brennen Silva during the Bulldogs’ 63-40 victory over the Falcons Jan. 30. Photos by Erez Ben-Akiva.
Junior Finn Kavenaugh takes a three-point shot. The victory secured Old Rochester, 11-4, in the MIAA Div. 3 tournament.
Senior Robert Spenard shoots over Falcons defenders.
MATTAPOISETT – At the varsity basketball level, a ten point deficit isn’t much. So when the Old Rochester Regional boys basketball team led the Dighton-Rehoboth Falcons 30-20 on Jan. 30, it was still anyone’s game as both teams headed to the locker rooms.
Then the Bulldogs returned to the court and proceeded to hold Dighton-Rehoboth to 6 points in an eight minute span. Altogether, a 20-6 run in the third quarter propelled Old Rochester to not only a 63-40 win but to the MIAA Div. 3 tournament.
For head coach Steve Carvalho, up-tempo basketball that tapped into the Bulldogs’ size and length to their advantage led to the third quarter separation.
Indeed, Old Rochester utilized a full-court press at points throughout the game, using all 84 feet of hardwood to put pressure on Dighton-Rehoboth guards. Carvalho said the presses are “part of what we do here.”
“I try to go with what I think is disrupting the other team a little more, but with our length too, we’re looking for deflections,” Carvalho said. “We’re looking to score off our defense.”
Junior Gavin Martin led scoring with 20 points, followed by 10 from senior John Butler. Junior Finn Kavenaugh scored 9 points in the second half by hitting three 3-pointers.
“If we’re shooting the three and we’re working inside, that’s where we want to be,” Carvalho said.
With the win, 11-4 Old Rochester clinched a .500 or above record, securing a place in the MIAA Div. 3 tournament. But before then, six games remain to be played in the regular season.
“We’re getting there,” Carvalho said. “I want kids to be disciplined. I want them to keep working on being mentally tough and having fun playing this great game.”
Last season, the Bulldogs reached the tournament semi-finals, where they fell to St. Mary’s High School. Carvalho said the team will try to work its way through the league as it seeks as high a seed in the state tournament as it can get.
“I’d love to get this gym loaded up again like it was last year and get some home games,” Carvalho said.
Old Rochester boys basketball next visits Apponequet Regional High School Friday, Feb. 2.
