HIGH-SCHOOL

Hendricken, Classical advance to the Final Four in the Open State boys basketball playoffs

Providence Journal

Classical defeated Portsmouth 87-49, while Hendricken beat Lincoln 69-55 in the Elite Eight.
Classical and Hendricken will face off for a spot in the championship game, while La Salle and Central will compete in the other semifinal matchup.
The championship games will occur on Saturday at the Ryan Center in Kingston.

PROVIDENCE — The boys basketball RIIL Credit Union Boys Basketball Tournament Final Four will look familiar.

The penultimate round will boast a pair of rematches from the Division I tournament. Hendricken eased over Lincoln, 69-55, and Classical surged past Portsmouth, 87-49, in the Elite Eight at Rhode Island College’s Murray Center on Tuesday.

Hendricken and Classical will meet for a title-game berth on Saturday at 6 p.m. La Salle and Central advanced on Monday and will tip off at 4 p.m. Both games will be at the Ryan Center in Kingston.

“It's a true rivalry game,” Classical’s Abdul Evans said of the Hendricken matchup. "For years, it's always been personal between them and us. We've always wanted to beat them and them beat us.”

Said Eliezer Delbrey: "They know all of our plays and we know theirs and it’s just always hectic. We’re looking forward to it.”

Classical's Jordan Duke goes in for a dunk during Tuesday's game against Portsmouth, an 87-49 victory for the Purple.

Classical broke open Tuesday’s contest with a 24-0 run in the second quarter and never looked back. Delbrey finished with a game-high 30 points. The junior’s fast-break dunk put Classical up, 80-46, with 4:56 left in regulation. Evans had 17 points and Mohammed Fadia supplied 15.

Hendricken dictated the pace in the division semifinal that saw the Hawks escape with a 57-50 win. But Classical trailed just 52-50 with 2:47 left. A pair of key plays from Deion Ellis-Cipriano were the difference down the stretch and Classical expects it will be another close battle. If Classical can force Hendricken to defend 1-on-1, it might find more offensive success.

“We can force them to defend by opening up the floor,” Delbrey said. “Leave one side of the floor open and have our shooters on the outside. If they go to help, we have a shooter out there to kick out.”

The Purple have athletes all over the court and they worked to get easy baskets against Portsmouth. Hendricken’s disciplined offense took care of the ball well, but if Classical dials up the pressure like it did against the Patriots, it might turn the tide.

“I think it will come down to the little things,” Evans said. “Boxing out, playing defense and getting stops at certain times. Not turning the ball over — they're a fundamentally sound team and I think we just need to match that.”

Kyle Bielawa’s 19 points paced Portsmouth.

Hawks roll to Final Four

Hendricken is back in the Open State Tournament Final Four.

After losing to Lincoln in the Elite Eight last winter, the Hawks left no doubt who was the better team on Rhode Island College’s court this time around. Hendricken stormed to a 20-5 lead after the first quarter and crossed the 30-point mark just 12 minutes into the game.

James Caldarella and Michael D'Ambra led Hendricken with 17 points apiece. Will Cary added 14 for the Hawks.

Lincoln trailed by as many as 21 in the first half, but a quick 8-0 run by the Lions cut the deficit to 37-24 to start the second half.

Hendricken's Mike D'Ambra looks for an opening while being defended by a Lincoln player during Tuesday night's Elite Eight game in the Open State Tournament.

Lincoln cut the deficit to nine in the fourth quarter on Jarett O'Hagan’s bucket on the right block from Gianni Pagios, but that’s as close as the Lions came to an upset.

Pagios had a game-high 18 points and Andrew Picozzi tallied 14.