The Old Rochester Regional High School boys’ basketball team played Norwell in the MIAA Division 3 state championship on March 14 and lost, 64-61, in overtime at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. Norwell guard Ronan Coffey hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, where Norwell ended up winning.
However, only the ending was negative for ORR.
Coming into the 2024-25 season, the Bulldogs were without three of their starters from last year’s team that had also reached the state final. Senior guard Zack Mourao and junior center Brendan Spenard were injured and were ruled out. In order for Old Rochester to match last year’s accomplishments, the Bulldogs needed some players to step up, and that most certainly happened.
“I think a lot of different kids stepped up. I knew Gavin Martin was going to do what he did, but Noah Thorell, Brody Hiles, Hunter Horsey, and certainly Grady Oliveira. Grady really had a tremendous year. Senior Finn Kavanagh was probably our most electric shooter out there, so it was really a great thing. They all stepped up,” said ORR Head Coach Steve Carvalho.
Through injuries and a 3-3 start, the Bulldogs rallied to finish 11-9, heading into the MIAA Division 3 state tournament as the 20th seed.
“I felt we were playing our best basketball in February, but we were going to have a very tough schedule coming up, including the first game out in central Massachusetts, beating (13th seeded) Tantasqua,” said Carvalho.
Through it all, the Bulldogs ended up making it all the way to the finals, nearly winning the championship.
“We had just knocked off the number-one seed St. Mary’s, which was one of the most tremendous victories in this program’s history, and took the number-two seed within a second (of victory in regulation time). So, I just thank them again for their tremendous efforts and for shaking up the Massachusetts basketball world. As much as (falling short) hurt in that locker room up in Lowell, down the road they’re really going to see what they accomplished, which is awesome,” said Carvalho.
The Bulldogs have four seniors whose 2025 graduations will end their high school basketball careers, including Gavin Martin, Zack Mourao, Finn Kavanagh, and Ayden Monteiro.
“I want to thank Ayden Monteiro and Finn Kavanagh, and certainly my two captains. Especially what Zack went through. But how much love of the game they have, how they show a lot of enthusiasm, they are hard working. I can’t wish enough for their bright futures,” said Carvalho. “They were a resilient, hard-working, and some may say an overachieving group. We were 8-9 a few weeks back before the tournament. What a resilient group who believed, ‘why not us?’ I cannot thank them again for wearing that Bulldog jersey with a lot of pride and effort.”
Senior guard Gavin Martin has been named a South Coast Conference All-Star, and Grady Oliveira and Finn Kavanagh earned SCC Honorable Mention status.
Old Rochester Boys Basketball
By Aiden Comorosky
