MATTAPOISETT – Old Rochester Regional High School boys basketball head coach Steve Carvalho felt that the team’s opponent in its Friday, March 1 opening game of the MIAA Division 3 tournament was going to be tough.

The Bulldogs trailed at the end of the first quarter against Foxborough High School. At the end of the second, they led by a single point.

Then Old Rochester separated in the second half, maintaining a lead that ended with a 65-59 victory in the postseason matchup.

Carvalho, proud to be “surviving and moving on,” said the team “hung tough.”

“I’m proud of my kids for persevering, being resilient,” Carvalho said.

Junior Zack Mourao led scoring for Old Rochester with 18 points. Junior Gavin Martin put in 16, which included two key fourth-quarter baskets.

Carvalho said Martin played “very well” at the point guard position. After Old Rochester did not shoot any free throws in the first half, he told Martin to get the ball inside, Carvalho said, as the Bulldogs had size over Foxborough.

“I thought it paid off getting some separation, but we still had to win at the end of the game,” Carvalho said.

During the third quarter, Old Rochester built up a 41-32 lead. Near the end of the game, Foxborough climbed back to within one point, until Martin hit a turnaround jumper to push the score to 60-57.

Senior John Butler, senior Robert Spenard, junior Finn Kavanaugh and senior Chase Besancon scored 13, 8, 6 and 4 points respectively. Butler hit a 3-point shot that beat the buzzer to end the third quarter.

For Foxborough, junior Ryan Kelley led scoring with 24, hitting six 3-pointers.

“They got us into their game – halfcourt, tough defense, rock fight, whatever you want to call it — and they slowed us down a little,” Carvalho said. “We tried to speed them up, but we had to go and play like that.”

In terms of strategy as the Bulldogs move on in the tournament, Carvalho said he still wants “to run,” referring to the team’s pace.

“I would like to get a few more shots off, a few more possessions, but I’m proud of the kids for doing what they had to do to win,” he said.

Old Rochester next plays Salem High School in the round of 16, according to the MIAA Division 3 tournament bracket. The date of the game has not yet been announced.

Carvalho said the gymnasium at Old Rochester Regional on Friday was “a great atmosphere.”

“The community comes out in support,” Carvalho said. “We earned it with our record this year. I’m sure glad we got another one next week.”