2019 -- S 0742

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LC002260

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE NORTH KINGSTOWN BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM ON

WINNING THE 2018-2019 RHODE ISLAND BOYS BASKETBALL DIVISION ONE

TOURNAMENT AND THE 2018-2019 RHODE ISLAND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

TOURNAMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sheehan, Valverde, Ruggerio, Lombardi, and Lynch Prata

     Date Introduced: April 02, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, The North Kingstown Boys Basketball Team had an outstanding regular

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season in 2018-2019, compiling a stellar and league best 15-3 Division I-C record and earning a

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first-round bye in the Division I Boys Basketball Tournament; and

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     WHEREAS, In the State Tournament, North Kingstown easily dispatched rival South

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Kingstown in the Quarterfinals by the score of 66-44. In the Semi-Finals, the Skippers faced a

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determined opponent in Cranston East, and found themselves locked in a tight battle late in the

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second half before going on a run that secured a hard-fought 74-62 victory to advance to the

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Championship game; and

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     WHEREAS, In the Division I Tournament championship game played at CCRI’s

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Warwick Cullen Field House, The Skippers faced perennial boys basketball favorite Bishop

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Hendricken in a thrilling game that will long be remembered as one of the best games in Rhode

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Island High School Boys basketball history. Led by their star player Ben Massie, who scored

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twenty points, North Kingstown ripped off a 12-3 run, capped by a Massie clutch three-point

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shot, to build a seven point lead late in the game, a lead they never relinquished as they won their

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first state crown since the 1989-1990 season by the score of 64-60; and

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     WHEREAS, In the Rhode Island State Championship Tournament that followed the

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Division I Tournament, the Skippers entered as the number two seed overall and plowed through

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the competition, easily sweeping the big Rhode Island High school Boys basketball events of the

 

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2018-2019 season. North Kingstown won all four games of the State Tournament by at least

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twenty points or more as they thrashed in succeeding order, Ponaganset in the sweet 16 by the

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score of 96 to 52, Westerly in the Elite 8 by the score of 100 to 64, Cranston East in the Final 4

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by the score of 86 to 49, and Woonsocket in the Championship game by the score of 77-57; and

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     WHEREAS, Winning State Championships in team events are enormous achievements

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requiring that every member of the team put team needs and team goals ahead of their individual

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wants and aspirations. The North Kingstown Boys Basketball team had those qualities in

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abundance as they were led all season by the outstanding play and sacrifice provided by John

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Quainoo, Nick Sacchetti, Tristan Curran, Clay Brochu, Nolan Bush, Aiden Hindley-Rivera, Ben

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Masse, Owen Moynihan, Dylan Poirier, Geoff Coyne, Nick Quarella, Mason Walsh, Dan Smith,

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Rock Deresky, Caleb Wagner, and Ryder Andersen. The squad was also blessed to have the

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innovative coaching and leadership that was provided by Head Coach Aaron Thomas, and

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Assistant Coaches Kevin Gormley, and James Simmons; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby congratulates the North Kingstown Boys Basketball Team on winning the 2018-2019

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Rhode Island Division I Basketball Tournament and the 2018-2019 Rhode Island Boys Basketball

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State Tournament; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to North Kingstown Boys Basketball Head Coach

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Aaron Thomas.

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