BLACKSTONE VALLEY MEMORIES

March 13

1954 Joe Hughes, double and triple-teamed, poured in a

game-high 24 points and snared 17 rebounds, but it was not enough as Suburban Division champion Central Falls bowed out of the state tournament by dropping a 50-48 thriller to heavily-favored East Providence in a semifinal encounter at URI’s Keaney Gym before a crowd of some 5,000 fans, believed to be the largest ever to see a high school basketball game in this state. Bill Truesdale and Dick Bessette also were brilliant in defeat, and their efforts, plus Hughes’ great performance, just about had the Townies on the ropes in the closing period.

1964 Pictured are the members and coach of the Sacred Heart Academy basketball team that won the Blackstone Valley and Rhode Island CYO Grammar School crowns and was runner-up in the recent New England Tournament. The players are Rene Coutu, Henri McNeil, Arthur Daigneault, Jimmy Coyle, Roger Provencher, George Brais, Lucien Gousie, Gerald Boutin, Ralph Pinto, Steve Gibbons and John Lizotte. The coach of the champs is Dick Rouleau.

1974 St. Leo’s captured its first Blackstone Valley CYO

Basketball League’s Cadet Division title since 1963 by sweeping St. Joseph’s in their best-of-three series, the final game by a 69-51 count. Chris Quinn hooped 22 points and Gordon Duquenoy canned 16 to spark the new champs. John Agostini and John Dougherty were the bright spots for the losing Hawks as they could not cope with the height and strength of the Lions.