RallyNorth.net

Sun, Dec 27, 2009 07:45 PM @ Andover

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Lawrence	11	20	22	20	73
Andover	25	21	25	14	85

Andover storms past Lancers and into title game

Sunday, December, 27 By Michael Muldoon
Staff writer

LAWRENCE — You want to be patient and work the clock, Andover can beat you.

Just ask North Andover.

You want to play frenetic and force a hyper-speed pace, Andover can beat you, too.

Just ask Lawrence.

Now the question is if you play tall ball a la Central Catholic with 6-11 Carson Desrosiers and 6-7 Jimmy Zenevitch, can Andover still beat you?

That will be answered tomorrow night. After last night's 85-73 win over the Lancers, beating Central in the title game of the 35th annual Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney doesn't seem so outlandish.

Joe "the Brama Bull'' Bramanti tossed in 24 points and dished out nine assists, Brian Miller contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds and Jimmy Johnson added 14 points and four assists for Andover, which improved to 5-0.

Andover used a 12-0 run to take an early 19-5 lead and Lawrence (4-2) never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way. The lead got to as much as 24 late in the third quarter.

"Playing Lawrence was a little more to our liking than North Andover,'' said Andover coach Dave Fazio, whose club had to rally late to knock off the upset-minded Scarlet Knights, 52-50, in opening-round action. "We like to run and they like to run.''

There were enough charges (8 unofficially), technicals (5), three-pointers (9 by Andover on 15 attempts), free throws (Lawrence was 23 of 36) and points for two games. Indeed, it was tied for the fifth highest game in tourney history.

Miller, the blue-chip junior tight end, runs and jumps like a 5-10, 160 pounder ... only he's 6-4, 225.

"Brian was just terrific. He works hard on both ends,'' said Fazio.

With the pace of the game, bench play was key and the Blue and Gold showed they can go deep with quality players. Brian Salvesen drew four charges, James Connors played a strong all-around game and scored eight points and sweet-shooting Spenser Rose was 4 of 6 from deep.

Bramanti turned in a SportsCenter special when he took a steal coast-to-coast, picked up his dribble and on his step went behind his back and then swished a runner from in close. 

Lawrence's Jaylen Alicea shared game-high scoring honors with 24 points and Jose Berroa, despite a heavily wrapped right hand and wrist, battled for 11 points.

"We just didn't defend. We had no idea on offense and no idea on defense,'' said Lawrence coach Paul Neal. "Andover is very good, but some of it was us.''

Although it likely wouldn't have mattered the way Andover played, Lawrence was without junior center Jesse Hiraldo, one of its two best players.

"There were a lot of team violations,'' Neal explained. "We'll sit down and evaluate (his future). That will be up to him. Maybe this isn't the place for him.''

 Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney

(all games at Lawrence High)
Tuesday, Dec. 22
Game 1: Salem 67, Greater Lawrence 33; Game 2: Central Catholic 66, Methuen 35
Wednesday, Dec. 23
Game 3: Andover 52, North Andover 50; Game 4: Lawrence 56, Pinkerton 53
Sunday, Dec. 27
Consolations
Game 5: Methuen 59, Greater Lawrence 57; Game 6: North Andover 58, Pinkerton 50
Semifinals
Game 7: Central 73, Salem 46; Game 8: Andover 85, Lawrence 73
Tuesday, Dec. 29
7th-place game: Greater Lawrence vs. Pinkerton, 1:15 p.m.; 5th-place game: Methuen vs. North Andover, 3 p.m.; 3rd-place game: Salem vs. Lawrence, 6 p.m. Championship game: Andover vs. Central, 8 p.m.Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney
(all games at Lawrence High)
Tuesday, Dec. 22
Game 1: Salem 67, Greater Lawrence 33; Game 2: Central Catholic 66, Methuen 35
Wednesday, Dec. 23
Game 3: Andover 52, North Andover 50; Game 4: Lawrence 56, Pinkerton 53
Sunday, Dec. 27
Consolations
Game 5: Methuen 59, Greater Lawrence 57; Game 6: North Andover 58, Pinkerton 50
Semifinals
Game 7: Central 73, Salem 46; Game 8: Andover 85, Lawrence 73
Tuesday, Dec. 29
7th-place game: Greater Lawrence vs. Pinkerton, 1:15 p.m.; 5th-place game: Methuen vs. North Andover, 3 p.m.; 3rd-place game: Salem vs. Lawrence, 6 p.m. Championship game: Andover vs. Central, 8 p.m.