CBA March Madness Concludes Wednesday

Wildcats guard Colby Crosby, playing like a mini-version of Coventry HS varsity guard Hannah Cole, drives the ball down the court. With teammates Liz Avedesian, Amanda Carr, Morgan Carr, Jaime Deignan, Ashlyn Harrington, Ashley Koch, Cara Turner and Samantha Marcotte, also playing big roles under the direction of head coach Samantha Cornell, the Wildcats will rally from a first-half deficit to defeat the Bruins, 29-22 in the Girls Big East (ages 9-10) championship game.

In the Boys Big East (9-10) championship final, Pacers guards Alex Mansour and Troy Osterhout played like Oakers high school varsity guards Nate Stitchell and Garrett Douglass in leading the team to a 37-28 triumph over the Hoosiers. Coached by Mike Osterhout, the Pacers also could not have achieved the upset without efforts from Steven Bailey, Ryan Boulais, Mason Bruno, Cameron Caruolo, Andrew Lee, Carroll Nathan and Anthony Petrarca.

Awakening at 8 a.m. to start the Sunday championship fiesta, the Thunder prevailed over the Mavericks, 43-32 in the Boys National (11-12) title game. The total team effort achieved under head coach John Aguiar included contributions from Isaiah Baker, Kyle Brown, Daniel Byrne, Joshua Demers, David Hennessey, Chrais Hurley, Jacob Raposa, Matthew Ricci, Ryan Robillard and Mark Santilli.

And the Lady Rebels, in the Lady Nationals championship (11-12) game played early Sunday, turned to several players to pull out its 30-21 victory over the Lady Knights. Team members included Caitlin Bordes, Maxine Colvin, Gabrielle Dill, Amanda Donahue, Phylicia Horton, Thurstina Horton, Hannah McGurik, Haley Medeiros and Ashley O’Loughlin. They were coached by Mike O’Loughlin. 

These were the final four games of last weekend’s Coventry Basketball Association version of March Madness, which crowned its first champions on early Sunday. More is to come on Wednesday with the older boys and girls crowns at stake, and the Legends title in the co-ed 18-and-over league.

CBA has proud and distinguished history.

For at least 40 years, the CBA has featured many of the players who have later become the foundation of the future for the middle school and varsity school programs in Coventry or other schools in the area and a mixture of many other players, too.

With Jason Martin at the helm as league president for over 16 years, the league has experienced lots of growth, continued sponsorship from the local community and featured lots of fun and great competition for kids of all ages, sizes and abilities. There were over 600 boys and girls who played this year.

Besides Martin, familiar faces among newer members on the Board of Directors include Vice-President, Mike O’Loughlin. Tracy (Giroux) Osterhout assisted her husband on the championship Pacers team and the West Warwick Hall of Famers was a member of two state championship teams in softball. Osterhout was also a standout on West Warwick HS state championship squads.

But on a board where almost all members are coaches or parents of current or past players, so many other adult volunteers help to man the concession stands, sell colorful T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and food and help out in any way possible at games, tourneys, or as coach coaches for All-Star or travel teams.

Supported by the local community, there are several sponsors, individual and corporate teams that continue to support the local teams. “We have a very close relationship with the sponsors,” Martin proudly says. “This year we had a Family Night to recognize the sponsors because we respect them so much.”

There are countless examples of standouts from past years who’ve made very big impacts after their careers in the CBA. 

*First-year head coach Donna Beaudoin of the Coventry HS was the first girl to play on what was then all-boys league and then was an All-Stater for the Lady Oakers.

*The McGovern brothers- Dennis, Jim and Brian- all played in the CBA and later starred in high school, junior college and college basketball. Dennis, Physical Education teacher and coach at Feinstein Middle School is an official and both he and brother Jim, who played at CCRI and later was on the sidelines assisting NCAA Division One programs, often officiate local games. Brian, who played Division One at Southern Alabama, was a all-time legendary scorer (2404) and was inducted in 2009 into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame with his father, Dennis, Jr., all-time URI great and New York Knicks draftee.

Among several girls who were in the CBA and later became varsity school standouts in basketball and other sports were Abby Chevalier, Elise Fortier and Rachel Riley, who has continued to flourish at Rhode Island College as an All-East basketball forward.

And, of course, many can not forget the exquisite CBA moments provided by the stars of this year’s Coventry boys varsity squad, including, but not limited to Nate Stitchell, Garrett Douglass and Aaron Greenwood (whose sister currently plays in the CBA). Ditto for several members of the girls varsity squad, too.

So capping off the CBA championship rounds will be four evening games on Wed., March 30.  The CBA Legends League championship is a fitting conclusion to the CBA championships since it includes so past many other Coventry school athletes who began playing hoops in the CBA 15 or more years ago.

“I have had several parents compliment us for having this league, telling me that young adults this age have nothing unless it’s at the ‘Y’,” said Martin.

From recent high school graduates to 36-year-old Chris Anderson to four young ladies, including Samantha Cornell (who played junior varsity for Martin at Coventry HS and then starred on the varsity), Megan Nesett and Mary Simas, the five-team Legends League has been a welcome addition to the local basketball scene.

Among former high school players from the recent Coventry HS past who have played in on Legends teams this season have been Mark Belleville, Jeremy DiMicco, Dylan Wilcox, Nick Bamford and Henry Rose, a Coventry native who later played on the varsity as a sharpshooting guard for Bishop Hendricken High School.

So as the season concludes on Wednesday, congratulations to those who continue to make the league flourish, both as a recreational outlet for so many kids and young adults in the community, and as a permanent fixture and positive influence in the local hoop community.

Wednesday Night Schedule- CBA Championships

5:30: Girls, 13-17- Lady Sharks vs. Lady Rockets

6:30: Boys 13-14- Clippers vs. Hornets

7:30: Boys 15-17- Bullets vs. Bucks

8:30: Legends 18 and over- Bulls vs. Wildcats