| Old Rochester | 61 |
|---|---|
| Hoosac Valley | 47 |
WORCESTER — Old Rochester coach Steve Carvalho wanted his players to work from the inside out. He didn’t want them forcing bad shots from behind the 3-point line.
But Carvalho did leave open the possibility of the Bulldogs shooting from downtown if the game warranted in the second half.
And when Hoosac Valley cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 2 late in the third quarter, Carvalho let his players loose. Old Rochester drained three consecutive 3-pointers to bury Hoosac Valley’s comeback bid and capture the Division 3 state title, 61-47, on Saturday at the DCU Center.
“We talked in the first half a little about not settling behind the arc,” said Carvalho. “I think they came in and felt we weren’t too much of a 3-point-shooting team. We do have 3-point shooters but it’s still a tough shot in a place like this.”
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After Hoosac Valley made it 41-39 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter, freshman guard Noah Fernandes stepped up to the arc and drained the first three. On the first possession of the fourth, senior guard Ryan Beatty made another, and after Hoosac Valley (17-8) converted two free throws, Fernandes ended the flurry with a three to give the Bulldogs a 50-41 advantage.
“That was the difference, when they hit a three and then another one,” said Hoosac Valley coach Bill Robinson, whose team trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half. “But I was super proud of my guys that competed here today. They just wouldn’t quit. We at least made them earn it today.”
Beatty (12 points) hit another 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that put Old Rochester (23-3) ahead, 55-45, and sealed the Bulldogs’ first state title.
“I knew if I got my shot I was going to take it,” said Beatty.
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Fernandes was a force for the Bulldogs, scoring a game-high 20 points — including four 3-pointers — and hauling in six rebounds.