Video: Tiverton Boys' Basketball Advances to State Championship Game After Thrilling Double OT Win

KINGSTON – As cliché as it might be, the Cinderella run for Division II Tiverton continues, as the Tigers frantically held on for a 77-74 win in double overtime against the Division I Central High School Knights.

It was a clash of styles, as the outside-inside scoring punch of seniors Gunnar Bjornson and Ben Bergandy carried Tiverton past the driving-and-slashing of Central’s Robert Lewis.

Bjornson finished with 35 points, hitting eight 3-point shots. The state’s leading scorer at 23.5 points per game struggled a bit in the first half, finishing with just eight points, but he didn’t stop shooting.

He finished with 11 points in the second half, hit a pair of 3-point shots in the first 60 seconds of the first overtime, and hit another pair of 3-pointers in the second overtime. The Central defense extended and extended, trying to stop Bjornson, but he didn’t seem to care, drilling a 25-footer at one point.

Bergandy was the beneficiary of a defensive effort that tried to stop Bjornson. With the guards stretched out to help on Bjornson and senior point guard Kenneth Welchman, Bergandy was repeatedly open in great post position.

He finished with 25 points, and most of them came easily. Bergandy didn’t have to take a shot from outside of the paint, and had six field goals. The rest came from the free throw line, where he went 13-for-15.

Like Bjornson, Lewis struggled in the first half with his shot. He finished with just two points, well off his average of 22.2 points per game.

However, unlike Bjornson, Lewis never really exploded. He had 13 points in the second half and eight points in the second overtime, finishing with 26. The majority came on put-backs and second chance points though. Specifically, Lewis had two chances to win the game for Central, and missed both.

With 27.8 seconds left in regulation and the game tied at 51, Lewis dribbled the clock down to about five seconds left. Bjornson guarded Lewis, but sagged off him, letting him elevated for a 17-foot jumper. The shot came up short on the rim and bounced harmlessly high, and Welchman secured the rebound as time ran out.

Lewis had an even better opportunity at the end of the first overtime. Central had the ball in their end of the court with the game tied at 63, 4.5 seconds remaining. Lewis was able to get the ball and dribbled in stride toward the hoop, but his layup attempt trickled off the front of the rim.

In the second overtime, Tiverton controlled from the opening tip. Bjornson dribbled straight to the 3-point line, rose up and over Lewis, and drilled a shot in his face. On the very next possession, Bjornson repeated his effort, hitting a shot from the elbow, about 25 feet out, and giving the Tigers a five-point lead.

However, fatigue finally seemed to be a problem for Tiverton. While they took care of the ball throughout the night, limiting turnovers, they struggled to inbound the ball during the second overtime.

The Tigers still executed from the free throw line. Bjornson and Bergandy combined to go 7-for-8 to start the second overtime, as equally tired Central defenders repeatedly hacked in an attempt to turn over Tiverton.

Reserve Kyle Vasconcelos also came through huge for Tiverton. With a narrow 76-74 lead, he was fouled with about 20 seconds left. He shook off the cobwebs though and nailed a free throw to give the Tigers a three-point cushion.

Central had two opportunities to tie it up. Daniel Mendez, who hit a trio of 3-point shots in the overtimes, missed a fadeaway 3 with about 15 seconds left from the corner in front of his bench.

Bjornson got the rebound and quickly got fouled. However, the usually sure-shooting senior missed both free throws, and Central secured the rebound.

Bryan Gautier got a good look at the hoop from the far-elbow from his bench, about 23-feet out with two Tiverton defenders on him, that clanged off the front of the rim. Central got the offensive rebound, but couldn’t get a shot off in regulation, as time ran out on their season.

Bjornson and Bergandy combined for 60 of Tiverton’s 77 points. Welchman hit a pair of 3-point shots, and Alexander Rosa finished with four points, two of which came on a drive with less than a minute left in regulation. B.K. Kiser had two points and three steals, and Geoffrey McNally played good interior defense when called on.

It was bedlam following the game, as about 150 Tiverton basketball fans waited more than 30 minutes for the team to emerge from the locker room. Alternating chants of “Gunnar Bjornson” and a countdown from 10, the fans erupted each time a player came out and walked to the bus.

The Tigers play St. Raphael’s 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Ryan Center. The Saints beat North Providence 66-48 in the early game to punch their ticket to the championship.

For a full blog from the game, click .