Tiverton Tigers Clawed Their Way Through A Memorable Season

Standing outside a sullen locker room in the Ryan Center on the campus of the University of Rhode Island, just minutes after his boys’ basketball team of Pawtucket Saturday night in the Credit Union State Boys’ Basketball Championship, Coach Jerry Arcouette visibly struggled for the words to describe his conflicted emotions. 

“I’m just extremely, extremely proud in my players,” he said. “Some people would say we were underdogs. I never thought we were and I think we proved that.” 

The Tigers’ 58-47 loss to St. Raphael’s concluded an amazing 20-8 season and an even more astounding magic carpet ride to the threshold of basketball supremacy in the Ocean State. Just one year after winning only three games, Tiverton trailed in the championship game of the first all-state tournament in Rhode Island in 45 years by merely one point with two minutes to play. 

What the Tigers actually proved Saturday night was that a team replete with character, persistence and resiliency – not to mention superb coaching – can achieve great things when provided with opportunity. After playing consistently during the regular-season schedule, Tiverton finished with a 14-4 record against Division II rivals, posting 7-2 marks both at home and on the road.

Tiverton stumbled out of the gate in the Division II playoffs, losing to Barrington (a team it had narrowly defeated twice earlier in the year), 68-59. 

A loss such as that one could have been crushing since the Tigers were a clear favorite to contend for the Division II state championship. Instead of sulking, Tiverton regrouped, spent the next week practicing and re-honing its skills, and entered the State Championship refreshed and reinvigorated. 

And in the span of seven days, the Tigers knocked off traditional Division I powers LaSalle Academy of Providence (64-52), seven-time defending state champion Bishop Hendricken of Warwick (88-78) and Central High School of Providence (77-74 in double overtime) before Division I St. Raphael’s ended the amazing streak. 

Back in November, there was cautious optimism in the Tiverton camp because the Tigers were returning senior captains Ben Bergandy and Ken Welchman, and classmate Gunnar Bjornson had returned to town after spending the past two winters at St. George’s School in Middletown. All three lived up to their billings as Bjornson went on to lead the state in scoring, Bergandy put on a low-post moves clinic virtually every night, and Welchman enjoyed a solid season, scoring 10 points in the closing 90 seconds to highlight the shocking upset of Hendricken. 

The Tigers also received substantial contributions from seniors Terrance Caldwell, Tyler Mulcahy, Matt Correia and Adam Carreiro; juniors Alex Rosa, Geoff McNally, Kyle Vasconcelos, Adam Carreiro and Jordan Hancock; and sophomore B.K. Kiser. Freshman Alex Cotton was added to the roster late in the season. On the sidelines, Arcouette was adroitly supported by assistant coaches Dave Landoch and Jeff Heath. 

The regular season was filled with high points: An inspired home loss to traditional Massachusetts hoop power Catholic Memorial High of West Roxbury. Solid home-court wins over Barrington, North Providence and Tolman and the day they rained 15 three-point baskets on Scituate. They also had sensational road triumphs against Cranston East, Portsmouth, West Warwick, Shea, Barrington and Central Falls. 

There were low points as well: Two losses to archrival Rogers High School, including a 22-point blowout at home. An inexplicable loss at Cumberland and a disappointing home setback against Westerly. The stunning playoff loss to Barrington. 

Through it all, the Tigers stayed together, grew together and prospered together. Perhaps the greatest tribute to Tiverton’s success this winter is that just one player left the squad after the season started; for all the trials and tribulations of a four-month grind of a schedule, 13 kids stuck it out from start to finish. 

Arcouette perhaps said it best Saturday night after the Tigers’ miracle run concluded. 

“Long, long after we leave here, and years down the road, this team will be remembered, not only in the town of Tiverton, but I think throughout this state for what they have accomplished,” he said. 

With St. Raphael’s players celebrating loudly in an adjacent locker room Saturday night, Arcouette, Bjornson, Bergandy and Welchman echoed a similar theme between the sweat, sniffles and tears. 

“We just came up a little short,” they said. 

From those who followed and supported them this year, the reality is: No, you didn’t.