Before the game, Andover High boys hoop coach Dave Fazio talked of his program just “turning the page” and starting another chapter.
“We haven’t beaten them since Carson (Desrosiers) walked into their gym,” said Fazio.
Fazio’s Warriors then went out and took it to Desrosiers and the Raiders in the Hoops for Hope David Bradner Memorial Tournament title game, winning by about a dozen.
For the Warriors, it was as much a statement as it was a confidence boost, knowing they can beat Central after so many tough defeats.
Andover was balanced, relying on its top returning foursome but getting a lot of help from the bit parts along the way.
I don’t know what it is, but when I see Jimmy Johnson on the floor, Andover takes on a not-to-be-denied attitude.
Undersized and not the greatest talent to ever come out of the region, Johnson might be the toughest kid mentally this reason has seen.
Had a couple of interesting conversations with some of the winners.
First, there was Brian Miller, the new-and-improved, now ripped to shreds 215-pound junior Brian Miller who recently tore it up at the Boston College football camp.
Miller confirmed the news that yes, he sizzled to a 4.69 40 at the BC camp, a performance that will surely elicit a handful of Division 1A scholarship offers once they can be officially made on September 1.
“I’m keeping all the options open,” said Miller. “I’m just happy with the camps and now I’m focused on having a big junior year. I just love playing both sports.”
Miller’s goal for the opening of two-a-days was to get to 215 pounds and he accomplished it early with some diligence in the weight room. That has to be scary to the opposition this fall.
OK, next stop was to Joe Bramanti, who himself is bigger, stronger and looks great physically.
Funny thing was I ran into Bramanti’s uncle Jay earlier in the week and he told me of Joe’s talent on the mound in baseball.
Word is Joe had picked up a glove recently and actually threw hard. Really hard.
“I’m a basketball player,” said Joe, who admitted that while into his middle school years in Woburn that baseball was his sport. “Down the road, I might try and go back to baseball a bit, but right now we’ve got a couple more dates with Central Catholic this winter, and that’s what I’m thinking about.”
Enough said, but remember, Joe, you can always play both.
Finally we stopped off with the coach’s son, D.J. Fazio, who played a spirited floor game and knocked in a huge pullup jumper and dished a key no-look assist when things got a little dicey late in the second half.
D.J. is less than a week recovered from a nasty car accident on River Road in Andover that cut his head and burned his arm when the airbag flew open.
Oh yeah, the car was totalled, too.
“It was scary and it makes you think,” said D.J. “A lot of things passed through my mind when it happened. It just gets you to realize how lucky you are to have things like this.”
It was a quality performance by Andover, through and through.
Both teams had eighth-graders in their rotations.
As for Central, clearly Rick Nault’s troops are still auditioning guards to go with Desrosiers, Jimmy Zenevitch and Michael Alvarez.
Zenevitch looks bigger physically and has played a lot smoother than we saw over the winter.
Central still needs to prove it can play in the backcourt. The best feeds inside were either Zenevitch-to-Desrosiers or vice versa in a high-low set.
Often, the big guys were open and missed. But, the Christmas tourney is still 5-plus months away. A lot can happen between now and then.
Sophomore-to-be Luis Puello, who projects as a starter after being the 8th man as a frosh, has been injured and out for the Bradner, so his presence will make a difference.
Good stuff all the way around.
By the way, remember, I’m heading out to Vegas with Carson and the Mass Rivals next week and the Granite State Jayhawks, I’ll be blogging with hoop news all week long, so be prepared for all kinds of action.
What happens in Vegas will be told on the “Creature.” It’s a promise.
