Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Andover | 8 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 43 |
St. John's | 14 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 59 |
Tuesday, February, 17 By Jeff Hamrick
DANVERS —
Looking to make some noise in the upcoming Division 2 playoffs, North
Andover took a final opportunity to move above the break-even mark on
the season.
While last night ultimately proved disappointing, the Scarlet Knights at least now know what needs work.
"We
aren't the biggest team around, so we have to box out a lot more,"
junior Wabissa Bede said. "Against the taller teams we have to box out
and play harder. I mean that was about the biggest team in the state."
That
team was Division 1 power St. John's Prep, which took advantage of
superior size and depth to hold off a fourth-quarter North Andover
charge before running away with a 59-43 victory in the Larry McIntire
Board 130 Classic finale. The 9-10 Knights, which have only a make-up
date with Lawrence left in the regular season, were unable to build off
Monday night's 18-point victory over prep school Pingree.
"We're a
pretty tough team," North Andover coach Paul Tanglis said. "But we know
we don't match up well with a team like that. The reason we got into
this (tournament) was to play good teams like this. We hope this got us
better. I think it got us better."
North Andover, which never
led, rallied from a 13-point deficit early in the fourth with a Bede
spurt. Aided by a couple Robbie Couyoumjian passes on back-to-back
threes, Bede scored the seven straight NA points then assisted on a
Couyoumjian trey that cut the deficit to 44-39 with 5:32 remaining.
Bede finished with a game-high 24 points, 17 after intermission.
But
the Prep (16-4) used the offensive boards to spark a 15-7 closing run,
during which NA missed eight of its final nine shots. For the game, the
Knights were 14 of 58 from the floor, including a 9-for-29 mark from
behind the arc.
"We did not shoot the ball well," Tanglis said.
"We sort of live and die with the three at times. And when that's not
falling, it's tough for us. Obviously against a team like (SJP) you can
hold them off for only so long."
The Eagles appear primed for a
strong playoff run with a solid game all around. Nine of the 10 who
played scored at least one point while the outcome was still in doubt.
They also turned 10 offensive rebounds into 16 points, including 11
points on five fourth-quarter boards.
But if that is what's needed to show his Knights the need to put a body on rebounders, that will work for the coach.
"I
don't think we're going to face many in the Division 2 North
(sectional) that are going to be as good as (SJP)," Tanglis said.
"Hopefully we got from this tournament what we wanted. I think it'll
help us in the long run."
Tournament MVP Kareem Davis passed the
Prep with 17 points while Spencer Danforth and Jake Burt added 12 and
10, respectively. Plaistow's Ben Judson had eight, one night after
burning previously unbeaten Putnam for 21 the night before.
North Andover (43): Wabissa Bede 7 5-6 24, John Boudreau 2 0-0 6, Ryan Good 0 0-0 0, Robbie Couyoumjian 3 1-2 9, Spencer Reeve 2 0-0 4, Alex Romano 0 0-0 0, Chim Ogwuru 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 6-9 43
St. John's Prep (59): Kareem Davis 6 4-8 17, Ben Judson 3 2-2 8, Jake Burt 5 0-0 10, Spencer Danforth 4 2-4 12, Harry O'Neil 0 2-2 2, Brett McNiff 0 1-2 1, Justiin Connolly 1 0-2 2, Tyson Johnson 1 5-6 7, Alec Buresh 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 16-26 59
3-pointers: NA —Bede 5, Boudreau 2, Couyoumjian 2; SJP — Spencer Danforth 2, Davis
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