PROVIDENCE —  The mantra of basketball in March at any level is “survive and advance,” and that’s exactly what East Providence High School did Sunday, March 5, in the 2023 boys’ Open State Tournament quarterfinals.

The 11th-seeded Townies saw a large lead gradually dissipate over the final 10 minutes of their contest against 14th-seeded Smithfield at Rhode Island College’s Murray Center, but EPHS did just enough at the end to earn a 71-66 victory.

Xavier Hazard led the locals with 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter as the Townies hung on. Trey Rezendes had 21 in another superb playoff outing for EP’s offensive catalyst.

Will Winfield chipped in eight points before fouling out with just over a minute remaining. Jayveeon Gonsalves and Max Collins each had five, Alex Mulamba four and Kenaz Ochgwu and Derrell Liggins three each. Liggins’ two free throws with 11 seconds left finally sealed the win for the Townies.

East Providence advances to its first-ever Open Tourney “Final Four” in the 13-year history of the event where the Townies will face second-seeded Hendricken Saturday night, March 11, at 6 o’clock at the University of Rhode Island’s Ryan Center. The Hawks defeated seventh-seeded Cumberland Sunday, 57-38.

EPHS last made the semifinals of any state playoffs back in the 2004-05 season when the Townies reached the final four of the Division I championship tournament where they lost to Central, 54-46. The D-I winner was the de facto state champion prior to the start of the Open event.

EPHS actually started the afternoon on a 5-0 spurt following a Mulamba layup and a pull-up 3 from the side by Rezendes.

The Sentinels scored the next seven in a row to take what was their only lead of the day. Nicholas Collins hit a back-door layup to make it 7-5 Smithfield.

The game was tied at seven all when Gonsalves hit a foul line jumper. Rezendes then put EP in the lead for what proved keeps with a hard stop then drained a short J to send the Townies on their way. The period ended with back-to-back 3s for the locals, Gonsalves from the wing and Collins, off the bench, from the corner.

Rezendes paced EPHS with seven points in the first, Gonsalves had five. Ray Porter had five of Smithfield’s nine.

East Providence reached intermission with a 34-25 edge. Much like their game with the Sentinels four weeks earlier when the visitors beat the locals on Super Bowl Sunday, the Townies faltered a bit while Smithfield cut into its deficit. Unlike that earlier encounter, however, EPHS had a sustained response.

As they did in the first quarter, the Townies opened the second on a 5-0 run to build their largest lead of the half, 24-9. Ochgwu put back an EPHS miss, was fouled and made the free throw. Then Liggins was also fouled a shot attempt, making one of two.

The Sentinels, though, answered next with a 14-4 spree to trail by just four (27-23) with a little over three minutes left prior to the break when Elijah Reed drained a 3 from the corner. The Smithfield sophomore had nine on two triples and after being fouled on a 3 making each at the stripe.

But EPHS answered with a 7-2 run to take its nine-point margin to intermission. Rezendes, appropriately, canned a trey while Winfield had a put-back layup and Hazard started a fastbreak with a steal then ended it with a lay-in.

Asked if that was the best his team had played to date this season, Andrade said, "In spurts yes. We played well, yes, when we were running, getting layups, but at times we sped it up and turned it over or made a quick shot."

The Townies again dominated the third, but a late period hiccup gave the Sentinels a glimmer of hope.

EPHS twice led by as many as 18 (43-25) on consecutive 3s by Hazard and Rezendes early in the period. And the locals would maintain that healthy edge until late in the period.

But poor clock and ball management over the last minute led to the two Smithfield hoops and the Townies’ margin was just 12 (51-39) heading into the final quarter.

The Sentinels started the last eight minutes well on a Reilly Bennett 3 but Hazard matched for EPHS.

From there, the Townies got a little sloppy and Smithfield a little desperate. The Sentinels slowly rallied, eventually getting as close as three (69-66) after EP lost its cool a bit in the final 20 seconds.

But as they did all day, the Townies had an answer. Liggins, off the bench for the very situation, was fouled and easily sank both free throws to make it a two possession game.

Smithfield took too much time trying to get an initial shot off as the clock wound down, eventually missing both of attempts at goal and seeing its season come to a close.

— East Providence Post and eastbayri.com staff photographer Rich Dionne shot the accompanying gallery of photos.