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Zenevitch, Central run away from Warriors

Tuesday, February, 02 By Hector Longo

LAWRENCE - He's 6-foot-7, 225 pounds of scoring punch, and somehow, over an eight-minute stretch Andover High just couldn't find him.

Central Catholic junior Jimmy Zenevitch owned the third quarter with 18 of his game-high 24 points on 8 of 10 shots, turning a fist fight into a rout, 61-47, before a raucous, standing-room crowd of about 1,500.

"I thought I played really bad in the first and second (quarters)," said Zenevitch, who had only four points at the break. "Coach told me to do what I do best, run the floor, post up. I know not too many (big guys) can run the floor like that.

"Honestly, I was feeding off the crowd. I got a couple hoops and they just got me going."

With the victory, Central claims at least a share of the Merrimack Valley Conference title for the fourth straight year, virtually locking Andover out again.

All the 15-0 Raiders need is one win in the last two conference games (at Lawrence Friday or Tuesday vs. Haverhill) for sole possession of the title.

For 12-5 Andover, it was the third loss at the hands of the Raiders this year and 12th in a row overall.

"In my four years, I don't think we've played a better quarter than that third quarter," said Raider coach Rick Nault, whose troops held Andover to just two hoops in the third. "Offensively, we were sharp, we didn't let their press get to us. We got the ball in the post. Defensively, we put the clamps on them.

"I didn't realize Jimmy had 18 in the quarter, he carried us, especially on the break."

Central pieced a 24-8 quarter together without a shot attempt from Wake Forest-bound Carson Desrosiers.

How?

Desrosiers owned the defensive glass, nabbing nearly every carom (23 boards total), kick-starting a break that continually found the southpaw Zenevitch in open space, on the left side. By the time he got up the floor, two more points were pretty much already on the board.

The Raiders made it look too easy.

"We were just kind of a step behind all night," said Andover coach David Fazio. "Whether it’s injuries or mental fatigue, we were running in quick-sand. We’re not sharp right now. I have to find a way to reboot this team and reenergize this team."

The elation for Central ended prematurely with over five minutes to play when Zenevitch went down in a tangle on the block.

Writhing in pain, he was helped off by a pair of teammates with what looked to be a high ankle sprain.

"High ankle sprain, looks like he could be out for a while," said Nault. "In the locker room, it almost felt like a loss."

Desrosiers, just 4 of 9 from the field, finished with 11 points and six blocks to go with all those boards.

Andover was led by D.J. Fazio with 12 points, while backcourt mate Joe Bramanti, who rode a streak of three straight 20-plus point games, was held to only six on 1 of 13 shooting.