The Andover High boys may not be the highest seed when the Merrimack Valley Conference Cup opens next week, thanks to the MIAA power rankings.
Still, the Warriors will hit the final two games of the conference slate – in the Cup event – with the inside track at the MVC1 championship after completing a 10-0 sprint through the league with a tough, 55-51, win over Methuen.
“We’re tired. We’re beat up, and Methuen is just so scrappy,” said Andover coach David Fazio, whose club is now 15-1 overall. “Finishing the regular season undefeated, any time you do that in the MVC, you’ve accomplished something.
“To go unblemished on all these Tuesday and Friday nights in this league is impressive.”
Warrior junior guard Josh Roux simply could not be stopped, leading the way with 33 points, including four three-pointers.
“He’s just playing at another level right now,” said Fazio, of the returning Eagle-Tribune Super Teamer.
Freshman Logan Sullivan pitched in nine points, while Charlie Tutwiler took care of business to the tune of eight points, six assists and five rebounds.
Big man Niles Scott paced the Rangers with 17 points and 10 boards.
“He’s really good, really talented,” said Fazio. “I thought my big guys, Ben Hnat and Roman Giammarco, did a really solid job on him, making him earn everything he got.”
Dylan Sweetser had nine, while Alex Santiago and Jeyvien Deleon had eight each for 7-8 Methuen.
Depending on how Friday’s edition of the MIAA D-1 power rankings shake out, the Rangers and Warriors might be running it right back on Tuesday night in Andover.
Right now, Central Catholic, with one loss in the MVC, would be the top seed, followed by Andover, Lawrence and Methuen, in the top pod of the MVC Cup.
Should the Raiders go 2-0 in the Cup they would share the MVC1 title with Andover, if the Warriors went 1-1.
But the margins are tight, especially between the Lancers and Rangers.
“It goes either way. Playing Central or Andover will boost us with the opponent rating, but we will see,” said Rangers coach Ryan Middlemiss. “I don’t think it should hurt us in the power rankings. It should help but it’s tough to tell.”
Friday night, winners and losers will play at the higher seed.
Following the MVC Cup next week, Andover will close out the season with its traditional Warrior Classic tourney. On Monday night, Feb. 16, the Warriors host St. John’s Prep, while Newton North and Cambridge play in the other semis.
The winners and losers will square off on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Middlemiss’ Rangers go right back to work on Friday night, hosting a gritty Haverhill team before the MVC opener.
After that, the Methuen will head to the Concord-Carlisle tourney on vacation week.