Ok, I’ve been a little lax lately, took a vacation with the family over Christmas, stayed away from the blog, got enticed by Capital One Bowl Week on ESPN, and I haven’t put the words to the blog in a while.
I’m back and ready.
So, here goes:
All you naysayers, whining about the Christmas Tournament moving to Lawrence from North Andover.
Alll of you need to apologize. Lawrence has played an unbelievable host. One of the great crowds in recent history came to watch Central and Lawrence the other night and it was a tremendously comfortable fit.
The parking situation worked out OK, with folks parking down at SLE. Now, that walk is just agbout the same distance as the one from the town offices in North andover.
Tim finn and the crowd did a spectacular job semifinals night.
Back to the court. Those of you who doubted what I said about Central, I’m ready for your apologies. This team is a monster. A beast.
Andover enters Friday night’s finals a huge underog.
The Warriors turned in a dynamic effort in the semis to obliterate a Salem team that returned its two E-T All-Stars from a state championship team in Josh Jones and Mike Kimball.
Andover’s gameplan is one that Salem shouldn’t have been shocked by. Dave Fazio’s clubs do it to the Devils most every time. Andover gets physical, brutally physical, a kind of play the Devils don’t see in the Granite State.
It’s MVC old school stuff and it works. The Andover kids fight harder than anyone, a point that has to please Fazio and his staff.
And this year, the Warriors just happen to have a couple real promising looking ball-players like Joe Bramanti, D.J. Fazio, Connor Arnold et al.
I’m not saying talent wise, Andover is better, but they surely knew how to take Salem out of its game.
But how do the Warriors play Central?
I liked the Lawrence game-plan, try and keep the ball out of Billy Marsden and Carson Desrosiers hands.
And then run.
The first problem is Marsden. He never stops moving on court and finds a way to get his shots. All he needs is a crack, and the boy is money.
The second is the other big bodies like Tim Wheeler, Jim Zenevitch, Michael Garcia and Jose Pena, who attack the glass and get free run there because everyone is collapsing on Marsden.
But the fatal flaw comes on the other end where the Lancers couldn’t throw it in the ocean.
In my Eagle-Tribune story, i mention CD’s 13 blocks, 10 in the first half. What I didn’t mention was the countless number of shots CD altered. Lawrence just never got a clean look.
Andover has more firepower, they can score a little, be it DJ and Bramanti (If I call you Jay I apologize, Joe, I played some baseball with your uncle and you remind me a lot of him … Sweetest lefty swing I’ve ever played with by the way, Jay not me). They have offensive creators like Arnold and Kevin Polanco.
The Warriors will attack Benny Fernandez, a Central newcomer on the point. They did it to Salem’s Alex LaRosa, who acquitted himself quite nicely with 19 points, one of the few Salem highlights.
They will get in Marsden’s jersey and try to beat him up like they did with kimball and Jones.
Buy will Big Shot Billy get frustrated? We’ll see.
Finally, there is Central’s size, not just CD but the other trees around him, all of whom are quite capable.
Sounds overwhelming, but if any team has a shot, it’s Andover.
It’s tough to explain but the passion this group plays with really is like no other.
LHS should be rocking.
The place should be mobbed. Two great student sections. Two great alumni contingents. Can’t wait till Friday night.
Elsewhere on the boys hoop scene:
Caught a look at Timberlane and Pentucket, both look improved but will need to take a step up if they want to play in the postseason.
I was thoroughly nonplussed by Pinkerton for a half and then was thoroughly impressed when the Astros roared past North Andover in the second.
I have to think Pinkerton is a serious Class l contender with its size and the fact that Beau Cassidy is in range one step out of the locker room.
Watching North Andover will be interesting. This looks to be a tremendous rebuilding project for Mike McVeigh and his staff. Not for anything, but an 0-3 in this tournament for the Knights could hurt as you point toward the state tourney. It’s not a must-win against the Reggies, but for a 7th-place game, this one matters.
