The power rankings formula seems to have turned on the MVC girls.
In Division 1, Central drew No. 8, with 16-4 Chelmsford at 19 and 14-6 Andover at 20.
A mathematician by trade, Andover High coach Alan Hibino is not buying the numbers.
“I still believe the MVC, even though the power rankings have us down, has prepared us all for what is about to come,” said Hibino, who understands through experience what it takes to win a state title.
The Warriors have grown up around junior scorer Kiera Lenihan (15.6 ppg). Young guns Elizabeth LaRovere and Kallie Martin (9 ppg) are ready for their first real postseason action.
Raiders survive, hope to conquer
Central Catholic’s girls had their regular-season closing survival training of a final week.
“We had a brutal stretch of 4 games in 6 days to finish the regular season which exhausted us both physically and mentally but it was a worthwhile experience where we learned a lot about ourselves and came out battle-tested,” said Raiders’ coach Casey Grange. “We had two days off and everyone came back recharged and focused. I can’t predict if the ball is going to bounce our way, but I am 100 percent confident the players on our team will fight as hard as they can for each other and there’s not much more I can ask of them.”
Central has two wins over top-six teams (Natick and Woburn) and hung tough in losses to the top seeds, Wachusett and Bishop Feehan.
The Raider frontcourt of Aniela Kwo (14.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Kerri Finneran (14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.4 steals) is relentless.
If it happens, Central is going to be a mighty tough out.
Andover boys healing up
Andover High coach Dave Fazio has gained quite the reputation as a pickleball player.
He might want to re-think his allegiance to the “sport” after a recent team-building exercise on those courts.
Freshman Charlie Tutwiler suffered a minor injury net-hopping. Fazio has high hopes that Tutwiler and recently banged-up stars Josh Roux (15 ppg) and Sam Concemi (12.5 ppg) will be ready to go at full steam on Friday night.
“We took a couple days to try and get them all healthy,” said Fazio, who also gets 12 points a night from athletic Owen Crowley.
Methuen on the move
Ryan Middlemiss and his “Running Rangers” averaged 86.7 points a game in the final week of the year, rolling to three big wins.
Can the Rangers keep up the offensive?
“The ball has been moving. We’re playing with better pace and making more shots,” said Middlemiss. “When we’re moving the ball, we’ve been scoring lately. If we play like that we can beat anybody.”
The Rangers need to keep the big man, Nethaniel Clemente (20.5 ppg, 13.5 rpg) on the floor. Isaiah Andino, who recently scored his 1,000th career point, has amped up the offense and is scoring 19 points a night. Backcourt mate Lennon Abreu De La Cruz (14.5 ppg, 9 rpg) is playing his best hoop of the year.
Can Knights do it again?
Fearless and hungry have been the best adjectives to describe North Andover boys hoop the past couple postseasons.
Maybe, it’s preparation. Maybe, it’s attitude.
North Andover, which KO’d No. 9 Winchester and fought No. 3 Newton North to the bitter end in the Comcast tourney this past week, is set for another run behind the big fella, Niko Catalano (17 ppg) and sharp-shooting Zach DesRochers (15 ppg).
“We had our tough stretch there, and I think it’s gotten us ready,” said coach Paul Tanglis.
“You know you are getting everyone’s best shot. You need to be playing your best ball at the end, and you need a little bit of luck. We have a tough first-round game with New Bedford, and I’m just happy they’re coming here.”
If you have not been paying attention this winter, Javi Lopez and his Central Catholic mates did what few would have thought possible, blitzing through a perfect 10-0 run in the pitfall-riddled MVC.
Now, the No. 4 Raiders look to defend the honor of the conference on a state-wide basis, as the highest area seed in the Division 1 field.
“We’ve really been playing well the second half of the year. Guys bought in and are really excited to get the tournament started,” said Central coach Mark Dunham. “We will have to continue to defend at a high level while being able to score in the half court. Our leadership has been great! We will lean on our captains to hopefully make a deep run in this year’s tournament.”
Lopez averages 24 points and six rebounds a night. Freshman Elkin Pena (9 ppg, 8 rbg) has been huge over the second half.
Do Reggies believe?
Greater Lawrence Tech coach Stevie Martinez played an absolute monster schedule this winter to prepare for the next couple weeks.
Now, it’s time for the Reggies to believe in themselves and what they might be in store for in the Division 3 tourney.
“We’re underestimating ourselves. Learning how to accept that you’re good is not a bad thing,” said Martinez. “There’s nothing wrong with walking into the gym with confidence.”
Big man Ellis Macea (11.5 ppg) has led the way this winter, but the Reggies have gotten solid nights from Amarian Lopes, Albert Diaz, Elian Alvarez and Darialdy “Taco” Lara.
Rematch for NDCR
Familiar foes, Old Colony Tech and Notre Dame Cristo Rey meet again in the Division 5 Round of 32 opener.
The Panthers will host this time around, though, and are hoping that in this history-making 19-1 season, one more milestone can be accomplished – that is, a postseason win.
NDCR has qualified for the tourney each of the last three years, the only times in the 20-year history of the school.