Generally, when a team loses a prize player, contention for first place in the conference is unlikely. Rather, a team that loses its top player is usually battling to maintain a .500 record. Somehow, Old Rochester boys basketball has managed to do both without Nick Johnson.
How have they made it work?
The Bulldogs have size. Jonah DePina is averaging 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Luke Burke is reeling in 6.7 boards a night as well, while also contributing 11.8 points on average. Ryon Thomas is scoring 10.6 points per game, too.
The recipe for success is there, and the Bulldogs have won big games and had stretches of success.
“When we play our style — the open-floor style, up and down — we’re actually a better team,” Old Rochester head coach Steve Carvalho said. “Coaches have plays and sets and we like to run different defenses, but at the end of the day, I don’t want to micromanage these kids. But, there’s been more policing, it seems, so to speak than normal. But they’ve had great moments, too.”
Carvalho being more hands-on than normal is partially the result of Johnson being out for the year. It’s also needed because the Bulldogs don’t have the same experience other Old Rochester teams have had in the past. Still, Carvalho is constantly trying to find a balance between the two approaches.
“I want them to play,” he said. “I don’t want them to be married to a system. But we are who we are in a half-court set right now. I still think we’re at our best when we’re pressing and trapping and running.”
Another big problem for the Bulldogs when it comes to running and gunning is their work on the defensive glass. Again, size isn’t a problem, but Old Rochester doesn’t always fully utilize its advantage.
“We’ve got some size, but we’re still not rebounding the way we should at times. We’re still not having dominant rebounding performances,” Carvalho said. “People are still grabbing too many offensive rebounds off of us. As I’ve told them, offensive rebounds are demoralizing. You can play good defense for 20, 25 seconds, then a kid goes and gets a rebound. So we’re giving up second chances. We certainly got to fix that.
“I think some of the unforced turnovers at times is another area, and certainly trying to finish down low. Win the free-throw battle, the turnover battle. We’re a pretty good free-throw-shooting team. …and defend the arc — 3-point shooting can be lethal.”
The Bulldogs still have some time to get things straight before the postseason. They have two more games ahead of them following their Tuesday matchup against Dighton-Rehoboth.
Jen Williams had a career day at the South Coast Conference winter track and field championships. She set the meet record in the 55 hurdles (8.54 seconds) and the high jump (5-foot-2), and she won the long jump (16-9). With her setting the tone, Old Rochester girls track and field took home its 10th consecutive SCC meet title.
Old Rochester had one other athlete win a solo event, as Emma Carroll finished the 600 in 1:48.04.
Old Colony
Old Colony boys basketball bounced back from a loss to South Shore Vocational with a 79-58 win over Norfolk Aggie. Jojo Cortes(14 points) and Hunter Soares (13) led Old Colony. Caden Letendre also finished in double figures, while Cooper Howell chipped in nine points.
By Nick Friar