HOOPIN’ IT UP!
Bans scores career-high 57 in Division II quarterfinal victory over city rival Tolman
Crosstown rivals Shea and Tolman High squared off at ‘The Cage’ Tuesday night with a trip to the Division-II semifinals on the line. Erickson Bans (2) had a huge night for fourth-seeded Shea with a gamehigh 57 points, leading his team to an 87-68 rout. For game story and more tournament basketball action, including Woonsocket boys and North Smithfield girls,
PAWTUCKET — Just your typical Tolman-Shea boys basketball game where nothing happened at all. Kidding, of course. Erickson Bans had all the answers, the Shea junior pouring in 57 points as the fourth-seeded Raiders pulled away from the 12th-seeded Tigers, 87-68, in a Division II quarterfinal-round clash before a rockin’ and rollin’ crowd at The Cage on Tuesday night. The win over their crosstown rivals sets up a semifinal matchup against top seed (and defending D-II champion) Narragansett that’s on the docket for Friday night (5:30 p.m.) at North Kingstown High School.
“I’ve been coaching for a long time. What Erickson did tonight was unbelievable. That’s the finest offensive performance I’ve ever seen,” said Shea coach Steve DeMeo.
Most of Bans’ points came from beyond the arc – he swished 11 three-pointers. A few times, a Tolman assistant turned to a reporter to ask about Bans and his point total. Whether it was throwing a box-and-one or resorting to double or triple teaming, nothing in Tolman’s defensive arsenal succeeded in knocking Bans off-kilter. From the baseline jumper to the very deep jumper to unleashing his blazing speed, all the tricks were on full display.
“He was making everything. It was crazy,” said Shea senior Marquis Gomes. “The shots were falling and you knew he was the guy.”
Bans nearly single-handily won the contest for the Raiders on a night when two players fouled out while a third (junior guard DeJuan Hayes) was lost for the final 8:10 – he was ejected for his role in an on-court skirmish that reached scary levels after some fans made the unwise decision to leave their seats.
Players on both sides began pushing and shoving after a jump ball was whistled.
Once order was restored, Shea High athletic director Kate Corry got on the microphone eand announced that if need be, the gym would dbe cleared of spectators for the game’s durawtion.
“Let’s finish the game the way it’s supposed to be finished,” Corry said. e Before the stoppage, the Raiders were up 63-52. After a three from Stanley Barbosa and a put-back from Brandson Mesquita, the dTigers were on the prowl and down a maneageable seven with seven minutes remaining.
For Bans, it was time to take over. He jump-started a 10-2 run with a free throw, then added two threes, one of which he was efouled while hoisting. Before Tolman knew it, the visitors were back swimming upstream and down 73-59 with 5:07 remaining.
“Just keep shooting and playing the way I ehad been the whole game,” said Bans about dstaying calm and collected after the crowd aworked themselves up into a deep lather. “It swas about observing. Coming off the screen, it’s either a pass or a shot. Simple basketrball.”
A Tolman team that had managed to stay rwithin striking distance for much of the way 6had finally succumbed to Bans and his brilliance. The Raiders ended the game on a 2411 surge with Bans supplying the finishing otouch – a three from the top of the key with p23 seconds left.
“Great player, great performance,” said dTolman head coach Bill Coughlin. “The great ”ones find a way and they keep coming at you. oHe’s definitely in that category.”
The gym was nearly full an hour before the game. By the time the officials were ready to toss it up, the noise was deafening. Shea feed off the support on its way to vaulting out to a 17-5 lead as Tolman got off to a 2-of-11 start sfrom the field. e e
“I thought the atmosphere shook us at times,” said Coughlin.
The Raiders opened the game by extended their defense to several feet beyond the perimeter. The Tigers answered by pounding the ball inside. The result was a 16-5 run that brought the visitors to within two (28-26) with 2:57 remaining.
Tolman never once led and Bans made sure of that. He netted 16 of Shea’s final 18 points of the first half as the Raiders walked off the court with a comfortable lead (47-35). He got things going with a three, then added a layup off a Tolman turnover.
The Tigers continued to stay close behind senior Justin Carvalho, who swished two free throws, then came up with a steal and went to the hoop strong to bring Tolman to within seven (56-49) with 11:08 left. Carvalho ended up with 27 points – he had 30 when the Tigers beat the Raiders earlier this month.
Hayes exited with 12 points while Nathan Rodrigues supplied 10 points off the bench. His finest moment was a three that upped Shea’s lead to 63-50 with under nine minutes left. Mesquita added 11 points for the Tigers.
As for Bans, he was clearly the man of the hour. The last time he scored that many points in a single game? You probably have to go back to his days of hooping it up at the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket.
“Very fun,” Bans said with a smile. “The crowd told me that I had 57, but I didn’t care. We got the win.”
“He wasn’t even hitting the rim. It was all net, time after time,” DeMeo said. TOLMAN (68): Izaiah Rivera-Lopez 3 0-0 8, Justin Carvalho 9 7-11 27, Isai Prince 1 0-0 2, Stanley Barbosa 3 0-0 8, Justin Klemanchuck 1 0-0 3, Brandson Mesquita 4 3-4 11, Salim Chakhsi 1 7-9 9, Jaylyn Baptista 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 17-26 68.
SHEA (87): Marquis Gomes 1 0-0 2, Erickson Bans 18 8-9 57, Nathan Rodrigues 4 0-0 10, Taivon Curry 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Silva 0 0-2 0, Josiah Diaz 1 0-0 2, Kenny Silva 2 0-0 4, Kenny Miranda, Pedro Cartegna 0 0-0 0. Totals: 30 12-16 87.
Halftime: S 47-35.
Three-point field goals: T 6 (Izaiah Rivera-Lopez 2, Justin Carvalho 2, Justin Klemanchuck); S 13 (Erickson Bans 11, Nathan Rodrigues 2).