RallyNorth.net

Tue, Dec 27, 2016 08:00 PM @ Methuen

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Andover	19	17	13	17	66
Methuen	12	17	17	17	63

Perry, Andover clip Methuen move into XMas finals

Wednesday, November, 29 By Hector Longo

METHUEN — His senior basketball season abbreviated to a precious nine games by his commitment to Boston College football, E.J. Perry simply wasn’t about to allow one to be relegated a “consolation” game.

The Andover High returning Eagle-Tribune Super Teamer tossed in a game-high 29 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, including the last in heavy traffic with five seconds to play, powering the Warriors to a spot in the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic title game with a dramatic 66-63 win over top-seeded Methuen before about 1,000 fans.

“(My desperation level) is at about a million right now,” said Perry, who hit 10 of 22 shots from the field and both free throws in the final seconds.”I mean only nine games to play the season, and now just five to go, I’m definitely feeling it.”

Thursday night here at Klimas Fieldhouse, it will be EJ4 and the Warriors facing Central Central for the Christmas tourney title at 8 p.m.

“I’ll be playing Central for the seven millionth time in sports, so many great games with them in all three sports,” joked Perry. “It’s kind of fitting it comes down to the two of us.”

It almost didn’t as Methuen, which seemed to be chasing uphill all night, just wouldn’t go away.

Junior Evan “Hurricane” Hardy pumped in 11 of his 13 in the third quarter as Methuen, which trailed by as many as 12 early, clawed back into things after the break, setting up a wild final fourth.

Perry drained a long trey to start the third, but Ranger Kevin Fernandez (team-high 22 points) poured in a long one on top of it, just in case the Warriors had thought about easing off the gas pedal.

They never did, and the two heavyweights traded haymakers the rest of the way.

EJ4’s second triple in the fourth made it 56-49 Andover at 5:25, but a Fernandez/Uriel Cirineo counter of back-to-back threes knotted things at 58 apiece.

From there, it became a free-throw contest, and Andover was just a notch better.

Down 63-62 with 34 seconds lift, Andover captain Brandon Witten calmly sank a pair, his 11th and 12th points of the night.

The Rangers had a couple shots at it late, but when Perry skied for a rebound and was hacked with 5 seconds left, it was all but over.

He sank two, and Dante Rivera leaning double-pump, desperation 27-footer never had a chance, sending the Warriors into the title game.

“Methuen’s got so many good players on that team, that’s a great win for us,” said Perry. “Look around, it was a terrific team effort. I mean, we had nine guys playing real, important minutes out here tonight. And the sophomores (Michael Makiej and Emmett Kim) have really made great contributions the last two games. They bring a different kind of energy, and you can see what it does for us.”

Andover 66, Methuen 63

Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic

Semifinals, at Klimas Fieldhouse

Andover (3-1) 19-17-13-17 — 66

Methuen (3-1) 12-17-17-17 — 63

Andover (66) Cedric Gillette 3 0-0 7, Max Beati 2 0-1 4, Tim Kalantzakos 3-0-6, Emmett Kim 3 1-2 8, Brandon Witten 4 3-4 12, E.J. Perry IV 10 4-4 29, Totals 25 8-11 66

Methuen (63) Andrew Marcelino 3 2-2 8, Uriel Cirineo 5 0-0 11, Kevin Fernandez 6 7-10 22, Dante Rivera 2 0-0 6, Doriel Guerrero 1 0-0 3, Evan Hardy 4 2-2 13, Totals 21 11-14 63

3-pointers: A — Gillette, Kim, Witten, Perry IV 5; M — Cirineo, Fernandez 3, Rivera 2, Hardy 3, Guerrero