RallyNorth.net

Wed, Dec 22, 2010 06:00 PM @ Neutral Location

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Salem	14	15	10	10	49
North Andover	18	16	15	24	73

Special K: Karalis, Knights rout Salem in Christmas Tourney Opener

Wednesday, December, 22 By Michael Muldoon
Staff writer

LAWRENCE — Mike McVeigh has an unusual dilemma: how to get his players home?

With only two seniors, there aren't many players with drivers licenses on this year's North Andover High team.

 But on the court, they have no problems driving ... or passing or shooting or defending.

That's certainly the case with junior co-captain Zach Karalis, who erupted for 25 points to power the Scarlet Knights (3-0) to an impressive 73-49 win over Salem last night in the opening game of the 36th annual Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney.

 The Knights are off to a red-hot start with wins over Masconomet and Wilmington, two clubs who combined for 30 wins last winter, and Salem, which entered with a 2-0 record.

The Blue Devils, though, were helpless to stop the Zach and Scarlet and Black attack. The game was deadlocked 29-29 with two minutes left in the half but it was all North Andover after that.

The Knights lit it up from deep, canning 10 3-pointers to earn a semifinal berth for the first time since the 2005 tourney.

 "Zach makes good decisions, takes threes, drives to the hole," said McVeigh of the athletic 6-3 swingman. "He's a read and react kid. He's a good one."

Karalis and sophomore Derek Collins (10 points) are potential All-Stars, but what makes the Knights formidable is they have a lot more than that.

"These kids are talented," said McVeigh after his 443rd career victory.

He'll get no argument from the Blue Devils, who were coming off an overtime victory Tuesday night at Nashua South.

Even the big guys are zonebreakers.  Isaiah Nelsen, a 6-4 sophomore, nailed three 3-pointers while Collins, James Warden (10 points) and Karalis each made two from deep.

Nelsen, who grew up in Minnesota, didn't even start for the JVs last year.

"But we're not holding him back anymore," said McVeigh.

 Colby Smith is listed at 5-10, meaning somebody needs a new tape measure, but he played like a 6-footer with seven points and seven assists.

Joe Gallant netted 18 points and Nick Poore added 12 points off the bench for the Devils .