RIIL State Tournament - D2 + D3 Preview

In Rhode Island, the Divisional tournaments are nearing their end and while the participants have been decided for the Division 1 championship, Division 2 and Division 3 are preparing for their semifinal match-ups.   Below are previews for each of the semifinal games that will occur tonight and tomorrow.   Division 2   In the first semifinal, #4 West Warwick will take on #8 Burrillville.   West Warwick is 15-4 and coming off of a win over Pilgrim. Greg Benton, a standout scorer for West Warwick, has had multiple 20+ point games this winter. He's a reliable scorer for his team that can get baskets at multiple levels. He's good in transition, showing the ability to score at the rim and from behind the arc. In the half-court, he can get by the initial defender in isolation situations and knows how to create for his teammates in scoring situations. Defensively, he guards in space and can create plenty of steals on the ball.   Burrillville is 11-8 and coming off a win over North Providence. Jack Belluzzi, a big time shot maker for Burrillville, plays with a ton of energy and has the ability to make loud plays on the defensive end of the floor. He is great at the top of the press, utilizing his activity level to create plenty of steals and deflections. Offensively, he's a capable shooter from behind the arc, showing the ability to make them both off the catch and off the dribble. He also scores in transition, finishing at the rim with quickness and a variety of crafty moves.   In the second semifinal, #3 Moses Brown will face #10 East Greenwich.   Moses Brown is 18-1 and coming off a win over Cranston West. [player_tooltip player_id='2553759' first='Donovan' last='Clement'], a jack of all trades for Moses Brown, is a two way threat that can make plays above the rim in space. At 6'6", he has great size and the ability to play both in the paint and on the perimeter. He's one of the better long distance shooting big men in the state and does a good job of moving without the ball to get open. Defensively, he utilizes his length to provide his team with a quality rim protector.   East Greenwich is 11-11 and is coming off a win over South Kingstown. [player_tooltip player_id='2811995' first='Rees' last='Maccarone'], the school's all-time leading scorer at East Greenwich, is a proven bucket getter that gets it done at all three levels. The lefty wing has a good jump shot, the ability to use shot fakes to get into the paint, and is a reliable scorer in the mid-range. He has a good frame and uses it to get by the initial defender, absorbs contact in the paint, and finishes with strength at the rim. He's a high IQ player that makes good reads and finds open teammates for easy scoring opportunities.   Division 3   In the first semifinal, #1 Mt. Hope takes on #4 Ponaganset.   Mt. Hope is 14-4 and is coming off a win over Exeter-West Greenwich. John Thompson, a defensive standout for Mt. Hope, alters the game with his ability to make plays on that end of the floor. He has good positional size, great length, and a good feel for the game, all of which allows him to be a versatile defender. He protects the rim with his ability to block shots and is great at reading passing lanes for steals. He runs the floor hard in transition and is a capable scorer in the post, turning over either shoulder and finishing with both hands.   Ponaganset is 15-4 and is coming off a win over Prout. Gabe Mongeon, a long distance shooter for Ponaganset, has the ability to get hot in a hurry from behind the arc. Only a freshman, the lefty is capable of making multiple threes in a game, with a handful of games this season with over 4 made threes. He has in the gym range, can get his shot off off the bounce or in catch and shoot situations, and has a quick release. He's a capable ball-handler that can get into the teeth of the defense and also knows how to operate in ball screens.   In the second semifinal, #2 Times Squared Academy faces of against #3 Toll Gate.   Times Squared Academy is 15-4 and is coming off a win over Hope. [player_tooltip player_id='2470957' first='Justin' last='Urey'], a dynamic guard for Times Squared, is a threat in the open floor and has the ability to score from multiple levels in isolation situations. He's a twitchy athlete that has the ball on a string as a dribbler and can really break down a defense with his ability to get to his spots and set teammates up as scorers. He's a shot creator too, making plays at the rim and also creating space to get into his jumper behind the arc.   Toll Gate is 15-5 and is coming off a win over Central Falls. William Goodine, a versatile two-way performer for Toll Gate, has been a consistent double-digit scorer for his team this season. He's a reliable player that makes an impact on both ends of the floor and takes advantage of his opportunities to score the basketball. He can finish plays at the rim, as a cutter or driver, and does a nice job of making shots in catch and shoot situations. Defensively, he guards multiple positions, generates steals and deflections, and rebounds in space.

In Rhode Island, the Divisional tournaments are nearing their end and while the participants have been decided for the Division 1 championship, Division 2 and Division 3 are preparing for their semifinal match-ups.