NORTH ANDOVER — The North Andover boys basketball team has long been known for its terrific outside shooting, most recently led by Zach Wolinski and Zachary DesRochers.
But on Thursday night, it was a different story.
The Scarlet Knights relied on ferocious defense, which led to 15 turnovers, as well as terrific play from their trio of inside guys — Niko Catalano, Jake Saalfrank and Angel Sanchez — who combined to score 30 of the team’s points, helping North Andover come away with an impressive 62-47 non-league victory over Needham played at Crozier Gymnasium.
The win avenges last year’s Division 1 Final 4 loss for the Scarlet Knights to Needham, which went on to lose the state title game. The win extends North Andover’s winning streak to six, improves the team’s record to 7-1 overall, and marked the fifth time in seven games that opponents have been held to 49 points or less.
“Needham is a real good team and they can hurt you in so many different ways,” said North Andover head coach Paul Tanglis. “I told the kids that this would be our biggest challenge defensively all season and they certainly rose to the occasion. Besides a few baskets that we gave up in transition, I thought we played really well defensively.”
Wolinski entered the game needing 17 points to reach 1,000 points in his career. He finished this night with three points, but made up for it on the defensive end with six steals.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Needham went on a short 7-0 run to close a double-digit lead down to nine, forcing Tanglis to call a time out. From there, the Scarlet Knights went on a 12-0 run to put the game away. Cam Bethel got it started as he drained a three-pointer off a pass from Wolinski, and then Bethel converted on a lay-up coming off a Wolinski steal.
“We preach defense every single day and we know that’s what is going to carry us,” said Tanglis. “When everyone buys into that, it’s huge.”
Offensively, Saalfrank scored the game’s first basket with 6:14 left in the first and the Scarlet Knights never relinquished the lead thereafter. Saalfrank scored 8 of his 11 points in the first half, while Catalano had 5 of his 13 in the second quarter and Sanchez converted on an impressive left-handed up-and under move and converted the freebie for a huge three-point play coming with 39 seconds left in the third to extend the lead to 13.
“Those three guys were huge, no doubt,” said Tanglis. “We had the height advantage and wanted to feed the ball inside, and also play a little inside-outside game and it really worked. A big part of our success is when we play unselfish and when we’re just locked in as a group.”
Wolinski will get another crack at making history as the Scarlet Knights return to action on Friday night with a trip to Andover (6:30 p.m.).
Twitter: @JamiePote
NORTH ANDOVER 62, NEEDHAM 47
Needham: Campbell Keyes 4-0-8; Brian Cloonan 4-2-10; Devin Dellamarggio 2-2-7; Harrison Goodrow 1-0-2; Alex Dudley 1-0-3; Jackson Shaw 1-0-2; Jeremy Gould 1-0-3; Chris Morrison 0-1-1; Foster Wilinski 4-1-9; Max Goodrow 1-0-2. Totals: 19-6-47.
North Andover: Zach DesRochers 3-2-10; Zach Wolinski 1-0-3; Cam Bethel 3-4-11; Niko Catalano 6-1-13; Angel Sanchez 2-2-6; Bryan Gyorda 3-0-8; Jake Saalfrank 5-1-11. Totals: 23-10-62.
3-pointers: NE, Dellamarggio, Dudley and Gould; NA, DesRochers 2, Gyorda 2, Wolinski.
Records: Needham 6-2; North Andover 7-1.