By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – On Tuesday, in the opening contest of the Bristol Central Holiday Tournament, the Rams watched South Windsor’s Ben Brochu run wild – dropping in a game-high 32 points – as the Bobcats sank Wolcott by a 70-51 final.

And Central’s defensive guru, senior Carson Rivoira, took it all in.

After the Rams defeated Bristol Eastern later that night, it meant Rivoira was going to get his shot at Brochu on Thursday and the senior standout was on top of his game.

Brochu was limited to 19 points, with most of that offense tallied after the Rams established a 30-point edge – and Rivoira out of the game – as Central won its own tournament, 77-33, from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium.

Central went undefeated in 2021 (4-0) and Rivoira’s outstanding defensive efforts that night helped keep that ledger perfect.

Brochu didn’t have a moment of peace on the floor, scoring only seven first half points – notching four of his five three-pointers without the benefit of Rivoira on the floor.

“The difference is he embraces it,” said Central coach Tim Barrette of Rivoira’s defensive role. “Like right away, during the first game with South Windsor and Wolcott, when [Brochu] was going off for 27 points in the first half, [Carson] was just smiling at me. And I’m like ‘you know?’ And he says, ‘I know.’ And he just embraces it.”

“From the time he walked into door today, he did such a phenomenal job.”

Rivoira was just about in Brochu’s uniform defensively but the hoopster saved some for the offensive end.

He added 10 points and eight rebounds to Central’s till but his defense was simply off the charts.

After Brochu canned a floater to open the game, Rivoira limited the sharpshooter to five points over the following 19-plus minutes as the Bobcats quickly fell and stayed behind.

“It always seems like the kid hits the first basket and then after that, [Carson] just locks in,” said Barrette. “The things Carson does. He’s blue collared. He’s the difference in a winning basketball team. Everything he does is winning plays. Everything.”

“From the time he walks into the gym until the time he walks out, I can’t say enough about Carson Rivoira.”

High-scoring Hakim Montgomery, who dropped 30 points on Wolcott, was limited to four against the Rams.

And that other guy from Central, Donovan Clingan, did pretty well too – toasting the Bobcats for 26 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots over another complete game effort.

Damion Glasper added nine points, Steven Alseph had five while Victor Rosa zipped in four but the trio seemed more interested in hooking up teammates on the hardwood over looking for their own offense.

Alseph might be even better than advertised due to his unselfishness.

Early in the third quarter, Alseph unleashed an amazing under-the-leg pass for a loud alley-oop by Clingan – always aiming for the highest percentage option.

“These guys are unselfish,” said Barrette. “The turnovers we had were us trying to make the extra pass for us to score half the time. We’re going to be a really dangerous team if we continue to play with the unselfishness we’re playing with. Guys seem to have more fun making the pass than they do scoring themselves.”

After Brochu’s first basket, Clingan notched three straight hoops, before the center pitched a pass to Glasper for a lay-up as Central led 8-2 three minutes in.

Brochu later canned a 3 before Central used an 18-0 run – extending into the second period – to put the thing away.

To open the second tilt, Alseph found Glasper for a hoop, Rivoira canned a lay-up, and when Rosa stole the ball and found Alseph for a blazing 3-point bomb, the Rams were in charge at 26-5 with 5:52 remaining in the half.

Central eventually went up by 22 on a steal and lay-up from Rosa and at the break, the home team was firmly in control at 36-18.

To start the third quarter, Clingan cashed in on three consecutive dunks, Glasper and Rosa added lay-ups and when Alseph dropped in two free throws with 3:29 showing on the clock, Central easily led 48-18 and the game was all but over.

With Rivoira on the bench, Brochu slipped in two 3s but was that effort was followed by a 10-0 Central dash – highlighted by two baskets from Tre Blair – as the Rams snared a 58-24 edge with eight minutes to go.

And then with the starters on the bench, Mason Stokes added two free throws and a 3, Aaron Brown sank in two hoops, Julius Powell scored his second basket, Jon Manuel Gomez netted a two-pointer – with the assist going to Harry Ross – and when Mike Allen added a floater with 1:19 left, Central’s cushion increased to 75-33.

“You’ve got to play against that team,” said Barrette about his second team practicing against the first. “We’re the consensus number one team in the state. That’s who [the second team] practices against every day. If you practice against them, you can play against anybody. So when they come into the game, [they’re ready]. Mike Allen, he said to me tonight after he made that nice basket at the end, ‘coach, that’s because I face pressure every single day’ that he’s starting to bring it up in practice. It’s only going to make our younger guys better.”

“The guys that have been playing JV have been doing a fantastic job at that level and they haven’t missed a beat stepping up to the varsity level.”

Finally, Dylan Brown put in one final miss for a basket as Central nabbed the holiday tournament championship by a 77-33 push.

The Rams are back in action on Monday at Plainville from the Ivan Wood Gymnasium (7 p.m.).

BRISTOL CENTRAL HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

BRISTOL CENTRAL 77, SOUTH WINDSOR 33

from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium, Bristol

South Windsor (3-3) 5 13 6 9 – 33 

Bristol Central (4-0) 18 18 22 19 – 77

SOUTH WINDSOR (33): Hakim Montgomery 2 0 4, Ben Brochu 7 0 19, Ty Casey 0 0 0, Colby Carr 0 0 0, Emeka Okoh 1 0 2, J.P. Dargati 3 1 8, Joey Bemis 0 0 0, Jack Whitlock 0 0 0. Totals: 13 1 33. 

BRISTOL CENTRAL (77): Victor Rosa 2 0 4, Mike Allen 1 0 2, Damion Glasper 4 1 9, Tre Blair 2 0 4, Steven Alseph 1 2 5, Mason Stokes 2 1 5, Aaron Brown 2 0 4, Dylan Brown 1 0 2, Carson Rivoira 5 0 10, Donovan Clingan 13 0 26, Julius Powell 2 0 4, Jayeson VanBeveren 0 0 0, John Manuel Gomez 1 0 2, Jaysun Dominguez 0 0 0, Zach Vanasse 0 0 0. Totals: 35 5 77.

Three-Point goals: Ben Brochu (SW) 5, J.P. Dargati (SW), Damion Glasper (BC), Steven Alseph (BC).

Records: Bristol Central 4-0 overall; South Windsor 3-3