EAST PROVIDENCE — The accolades for the East Providence High School boys’ basketball team began to come in recently, as all five members of the 2019-20 starting lineup for the Townies earned All-Division notice and their mentor was also recognized by his peers.

R.J. Pina and Brian Taylor each were named by coaches as first-team All-Division I-A performers and were selected as second-team All-Division I as a whole. Pina’s team-best 20 points per game ranked him third in the division and he also grabbed over 10 rebounds per night. Taylor was second on the Townies in scoring at 15.1 ppg.

The rest of the starters were chosen for the All-D-I-A second team. Josh Kauffman and Justin Pena each averaged 11 points per night for the Townies while Zach Russell scored at an 8.1 ppg clip.

The Townies finished with a 13-5 record in Division I league games this winter, the most in the regular season since the 1978-79 season when EPHS went 20-2. So it was also fitting head coach Joe Andrade was acknowledged for his guidance of the team. Andrade, in his fourth season at the helm of the program, was chosen along with Smithfield’s Joe Bennett as the D-I Co-Coach of the Year. Bennett’s Sentinels finished with an 11-7 record and reached the playoffs.

“I’m honored, personally, because it's the coaches, your peers who vote for myself and the Smithfield coach as coach of the year,” Andrade said. “As for the players, it’s the same thing. The coaches are voting so to have all five starters get recognized it’s amazing. I do however believe R.J. is an All-State player, averaging a double-double and probably should of been first team All-League.”