Chiming in on the North tourney….
First and foremost, I’d like to personally thank the MIAA for scheduling 11 games at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
Heaven forbid, there were three at 1 p.m., four at 4 p.m. and 4 at 7 p.m., so the hoop fan could be a part of more than one.
You figure the cash-conscious folks would like the extra gate money.
Then again ….
So, we’ll all deal with the block (head) scheduling. Ooopps. Did I write that with my out loud voice?
Honestly, I don’t know what to make out of Everett’s win over Andover. I really don’t.
Was Everett monstrously impressive? I’d say no.
Andover literally shot its way out of the tournament. You just can’t score six field goals in 3 quarters and hang around.
Was it Everett’s size/length?
Honestly, the Warriors had a slew of open looks. Shots they made at Malden came just as easy tonight, but they just didn’t go down.
I will say Everett is/was two different teams.
When Matt Costello was knocking down jumpers, they are as good as anyone.
When he didn’t, in the firsthalf, they looked like offense was a foreign language because Andover sagged and gummed up the inner workings.
Hard to believe, but Everett did its best damage in the third quarter with Jerome Cohen on the bench.
That said, when he came into the game in the fourth and Andover extended defensively, Cohen showed what kind of weapon he can be, scoring with all kinds of Warriors hanging/bouncing off him.
Just would have gotten a better gauge on them had Andover made some shots.
Two questions come out:
1. Can Everett beat Central, assuming the Raiders get past Lynn Classical Monday night?
I say yes. The reasons are two-fold, first matchups and then depth.
You’re going to be asking an awful lot defensively out of Billy Marsden, running off screens chasing Costello all night and Jimmy Zenevitch, who most likely draws the man mountain Cohen.
Also, the Tide brought bodies in waves off the bench.
Two expert opinions:
Former Londonderry assistant and longtime Valley hoop follower Melvin Berger … “Everett’s very, very good.”
And Warrior coach David Fazio … “My heart says Central, but I don’t know.”
2. What happens now to Andover, which loses the grit of Connor Arnold, a three-year varsity player in Polanco and sharpshooter Sean Ehlbeck among others?You have to like the building blocks, with Joe Bramanti and Brian Miller. Andover is their team now. One follower of the program called them a potential Parent/Licare combination there a couple years back.
Are they that good? Probably not, you’re talking two of the all-time greats.
But what MVC team, other than Central, can throw out a two-man tandem that good?
Lawrence, maybe with Jaylen alicea and Jesse Hiraldo, but that’s it.
Can the Warriors around them step up?
D.J. Fazio has had his spurts on the point. Jimmy Johnson is that glue-like role player every team needs. Spenser Rose can definitely shoot it.
Look elsewhere around the league. Methuen has to replace Matt Richardson and Eddie Gonzalez.
Lowell says bye-bye to Nathan Simpson.
The Hillies lose Charlie Roche and high-scoring Javier Bristol.
To me, even with a semi-massive reconstruction, Andover is still Andover.
9-4 in the MVC is probably the target, and then you’re looking at your typical tough non-league slate.
Anyone have thoughts on any of the upcoming Saturday nighters?
Burlington will be tough on NA.
Wayland is a mighty enterprising draw for the Celestin-less Reggies.
North Reading looks for a measure of revenge with Wilmington.
HL
