2012 Champs Crowned

BOHICA 67, Wet Bandits 43

In a game that started tight, BOHICA used a strong second half to propel themselves to the 2012 BVBL Championship. The game started back and forth with Dave Douiliette (10 points) and Justin Aldrich (7 points) starting hot for The Wet Bandits. BOHICA was paced early by the inside out play of Colin Halpin (9 points) and the scrappy floor play of Keenan Burke-Pitts (5). The game would go to the half with BOHICA clinging to a 34-30 lead. The second half started nip and tuck as well as Joe Laroche (8 points) and the defense of Garrett Reiley kept The Wet Bandits in the game. However BOHICA would then go on a 24-3 run and take control behind the offense of playoff MVP Ryan Cain (19 points) and Finals MVP Mike Balderelli (18 points). They were also helped by the rebounding of Joey McCann. With 5 minutes to go Ernie Bertulli dialed long distance from the right wing to erase any doubt that BOHICA was retuning to the promised land. 

This was by far the most successful season in BVBL History with 18 competitive teams and solid leadership from the all the captains. We will return for a 6th season in 2013 with some new wrinkles. As always we offer a fall league and a winter league for your offseason enjoyment. 

A special thanks to Russ Boisvert who has taken thousands of excellent pictures this year which really add to the league's multimedia experience. All of his pictures are available at http://russ-place.smugmug.com/ and prints can be ordered there! 

BOHICA Scoring: Cain 19, Balderelli 18, Halpin 9, McCann 8, Burke-Pitts 5, Donnelly 5, Bertulli 3, Leonelli 0

Wet Bandits Scoring: Douiliette 10, J. Laroche 8, Aldrich 7, Simpson 6, Johnson 4, Reiley 4, D. Laroche 4, Dzieck 0, Consolmango 0, Morrison 0, 

Pictured Below: Finals MVP Mike Balderelli and Playoff MVP Ryan Cain  (19.3 PPG in playoffs)

Championship Preview

At 6 PM on Sunday August 19 the BVBL will champ it's fifth Champion. A half a decade is a long time for an upstart summer league and for the 5th straight year the level of play improved in the league. 

The Matchup: (9-1) BOHICA vs (8-2) Wet Bandits 

The Road Traveled: Both BOHICA and The Wet Bandits played in the BVBL's East Division this past season. The Bandits lost only twice, to The Blazers and The Birdmen, while handing BOHICA their only loss on the season.

In the playoffs, The Wet Bandits have downed the Thunder, Flying Rhino and avenged their earlier loss to the Blazers while BOHICA was defeated, 5 Guys One Hoop, Whitewater and The Birdmen.


The First Matchup: Despite the absence of former league MVP Dave Douliette the Wet Bandits pulled the upset over the first place BOHICA squad. Joe Laroche lead the Bandits with 13 while Dan Laroche added 11. BOHICA was paced with 22 from Ryan Cain

By The Numbers:
Wet Bandits Average Points For: 57.6 PPG
Wet Bandits Average Points Against: 52.6 PPG
Wet Bandits Average Margin: +5.0 PPG

BOHICA Average Points For: 71.3 PPG
BOHICA Average Points Against: 47.7 PPG
BOHICA Average Margin: +23.6

Lots of Hardware:
Lot of award winners in this one! This year's BVBL East MVP Ryan Cain (BOHICA) will be opposed by this year's BVBL East Rookie of the Year: Jakyri Simpson (Wet Bandits).  Also Joey McCann (BOHICA) was the 2011 league Defensive Player of the Year as well as the 2008 Playoffs MVP. Wheras Wet Bandits Captain Dave Douiliette was the 2011 BVBL MVP. As well as the 2010 Playoffs MVP and Joe Laroche (Wet Bandits) was the 2010 Finals MVP as well. 

Lots of "Rings"
In the BVBL you don't actually get rings...you're lucky if you get tee shirts within a year...but there are a lot of players with championship history in this game. BOHICA boasts Joey McCann and Anthony Leonelli who were charter members of the squad and won the 08 and 09 Championships wearing Cammo. Whereas The Wet Bandits...although a new franchise have some championship pedigree of their own. Dave Douiliette, Joe Laroche, Mike Consolmango, Derek Johnson, and Dan Laroche were all members  of the 2010 champion Worcester West team. While most interesting Wet Bandits guard Justin Aldrich was a member of BOHICA for his first 4 years in the league...winning titles in 08 and 09!

The Best "Coast"
A lot of players in this game with ties to the Commonwealth Coast Conference. A New England D3 League. BOHICA members Ryan Birrell (Salve Regina) and Keenan Burke-Pitts (Wentworth) played in the league while Wet Bandits Derek Johnson (Anna Maria), Justin Aldrich (Nichols) and Jakyri Simpson (University of New England) also played in the circuit. BOHICA Captain Anthony Leonelli was also an assistant coach at Wentworth from 2005-2011.

New BloodBoth squads feature impact rookies. Simpson was the Rookie of the Year but the Wet Bandits also added rookies Rick Morrison and Garrett Reiley. While BOHICA retooled with high scoring rookie Derek Retos, guard Ryan Birrell, big man Colin Halpin, crafty veterans Jim Donnelly and Ernie Bertulli all making their summer BVBL debuts.  

5 Year Men
The league has been in existence for 5 years. 3 players in this game Joey McCann (BOHICA 08-Present), Anthony Leonelli (BOHICA 08-present) and Justin Aldrich (BOHICA 08-11, Wet Bandits 12-present) have played in all 5 years!

The Take
Wet Bandits have more experience in close games this years, and have more championship pedigree. BOHICA was a once proud franchise that is experiencing a championship drought. This has all the makings of an instant classic! We'll see you at the Mendon Park...we also asked a few league captains who knew both teams well to make their picks and we got the following:

"BOHICA 70, Wet Bandits 50: BOHICA's guards are too much for The Bandits guards. Fast break vs slow down. BOHICA wins...Ryan Cain MVP" -Unnamed League Captain

"BOHICA 75-65...BOHICA has too much offense for the Bandits to overcome, however the Bandits length will keep them close til the last couple of minutes" -Unnamed League Captain

"BOHICA 68, Bandits 52...unless it's indoors then the score is BOHICA 84, Bandits 68...either way BOHICA's high powered offense, in synch with their highly experienced players, coupled with their lesson's learned from last year's final. BOHICA will relish this opportunity no matter what the Bandits throw at them.  -Unnamed League Captain

"Bandits 62, BOHICA 60...BOHICA has lost a lot of their toughness in recent years and are now more of a finesse and outside shooting team...Bandits will get to the rack early and often and hold on on defense." -Unnamed League Captain

"BOHICA in a tough one 61-57 Cain hits clutch free throws down the stretch" - Unnamed League Captain