No. 5 seed North Smithfield takes care of business against EWG in boys basketball
NORTH SMITHFIELD — It’s a much longer road to the state tournament this time. North Smithfield will need the automatic berth that comes with capturing the Division III title.
The Northmen aren’t favorites in the bracket. That honor belongs to top seed North Providence, second seed Juanita Sanchez and a couple of others. North Smithfield was the second team to miss out on a bye as the No. 5 seed so that meant some extra work on Friday night.
The Northmen took it in stride at Lovett Gymnasium. They navigated a couple of tight moments in the middle two quarters and eventually put Exeter-West Greenwich away, 75-44, in a preliminary matchup.
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“We’ve just got to take it one game at a time,” North Smithfield guard Tyson Green said. “Last year, our record made it so we could be in the state tournament. This year we’re the 5 seed — we only have one thing to win.”
This is a veteran, connected group and you wouldn’t bet against them making a deep run into this bracket. Green netted a game-high 22 points to lead three players in double figures. Fellow guard Anthony Paiva chipped in 12 points and Alvendz Viera Dones added another 12 while controlling the paint.
“Our goal is to win the division,” North Smithfield coach Brandon DiPaola said. “That’s how we start the season off.
“Those Division II and Division I teams are trying to play into the state open, and I understand that. If you’re in D-III and you’re trying to play in the state open, you’re in the wrong division. We’re trying to play for a division championship, and that’s what our goal is.
“If we make it like we did last year, great. That’s awesome. It’s a great experience for the kids.”
Green’s 3-pointer late in the first half gave the Northmen a 33-28 lead into the locker room. The Scarlet Knights still trailed by just five when North Smithfield launched the deciding 10-0 run, needing less than two minutes to open a 15-point gap. Sam Drolet’s drive down the right for a three-point play pushed the Northmen to a 48-33 cushion with 3:51 left in the third, and Exeter-West Greenwich came within single digits only once more.
“Four of us have been playing basketball with each other since before middle school,” Viera Dones said. “We’ve known each other forever. We’ve grown up together.
“Tyson Green is the only one — he came in sophomore year. And he still feels like family.”
The Scarlet Knights (5-16) spent most of the game in foul trouble thanks to Viera Dones. He went to the line on eight different occasions — six two-shot opportunities and two chances to complete conventional three-point plays. He finished 8-for-14 at the stripe, which was an improvement on the less than 50% he shot during the regular season.
“My stats for free throws this season — not so great,” Viera Dones said. “If I was the other team, I would also try sending me to the line.”
North Smithfield (20-3) kept Exeter-West Greenwich mostly outside the paint, and something clicked for the Scarlet Knights in the second quarter. Ben Camacho came off the bench to knock down three of his four 3-pointers, and the visitors cut a 10-point deficit to 28-26 with 2:14 to play.
Camacho was the lone Exeter-West Greenwich player to hit double figures with 12 points, as the Northmen clamped down defensively over the final 16 minutes.
“We were really just locked in on defense and keeping guys in front,” DiPaola said. “Then we obviously started hitting shots.”
Moses Brown awaits early next week after taking out Paul Cuffee, 66-40, in its own preliminary game. The Quakers and Cougars could both eventually stand in the way of North Smithfield reaching the championship round at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
“The second half we really dialed in and put them away,” Green said. “Just maintaining a lead is what we do best. We have to keep doing that further into the playoffs.”
EXETER-WEST GREENWICH (44): Daniel Simoes 0 0-0 0, Dylan Lynch 0 0-0 0, James Smith 0 0-0 0, Tyler Stanton 1 0-0 2, Ben Camacho 4 0-0 12, Harrison Lynch 1 0-0 3, Zach Kretchman 2 1-1 5, Dylan Carr 3 1-1 9, Brody Simoes 0 0-0 0, Michael Berek 0 0-0 0, Dylan Main 2 2-2 6, Stan Berek 1 0-0 3, Kole Kilduff 2 0-0 4; totals 16 4-4 44. NORTH SMITHFIELD (75): Aidan Bienvenue 1 0-0 2, Brady Deschene 0 0-0 0, Tyson Green 8 3-3 22, Sam Drolet 4 1-1 9, Anthony Paiva 4 2-2 12, Connor Reilly 2 2-2 7, Andrew Stark 2 1-1 5, Carter Deslauriers 2 2-3 6, Nathan Tremblay 0 0-0 0, Alvendz Viera Dones 2 8-14 12. Totals 25 19-26 75.
Halftime — NS, 33-28. 3-point FGs — EWG 8 (Carr 2, Camacho 4, S. Berek, H. Lynch), NS 6 (Reilly, Green 3, Paiva 2).
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Tyson Green scores 22 points, leading North Smithfield past EWG
