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Andover 'D' overwhelms Pentucket

Monday, February, 11 By John Shimer
Staff writer

ANDOVER | Andover High coach Jim Tildsley was quick to note the key to victory last night.

"We played great defense," said Tildsley. "To hold a team to 16 points through three quarters is pretty impressive. And they scored eight points right away."

Behind that stifling defense, the Golden Warriors, the No. 4 team in Eastern Mass., downed No. 15-ranked Pentucket 44-27 in a battle of the two top teams in The Eagle-Tribune Fab Five rankings.

"This was a very good win for us," said Tildsley. "The seniors really stepped up, and we hit some key shots. (Meghan) Thomann was 5 for 8 from 3-point range."

Locked in a defensive struggle through two quarters, Bentley-bound Thomann (team-high 17 points) gave her Golden Warriors the lead with seconds left in the half when she knocked down a 3-pointers to make the score 17-14.

"In the locker room at halftime, we kept saying, 'They look tired, they look tired. We need to keep pushing the ball,'" said Tildsley. "I think our seniors | Lauren Hughes, Camille Fantini, Meghan (Thomann) | eventually started to wear them down."

Riding the momentum of Thomann's shot, Andover was ferocious at both ends of the court the rest of the way.

The defense was paced by 5-foot-9 center Hughes (10-points), who held 6-foot-3 Eagle-Tribune All-Star center Kirsten Daamen to only six points for the game. Laura Renfro also stood out, limiting Erin McNamara to nine points and helped hold Eagle-Tribune All-Star Ashley Viselli to only three.

Fantini also stood out on the low post, and the Golden Warriors were helped by the return of her twin sister Amanda Fantini, who was playing her first game since tearing her ACL during the Hoops for Hope summer league.

"We knew Pentucket wasn't as quick," said Camille Fantini. "Usually when I get the ball, I give it right up. But today I was able to drive, penetrate and kick out to my open teammates. (After our shots), we were able to track down the loose balls."

The Sachems, meanwhile, found themselves repeatedly frustrated on the offensive end as the Golden Warriors were able to disrupt the Sachem inside game by denying the post entry passes.

"That 3-pointer at the end of the half was big for them, and we never got going in the second half offensively," said McNamara. "They were a physical team that pressured hard on the ball, and we didn't respond. Hopefully, we have learned we have got to do a better job handling the physical pressure for states."

After Andover stretched its lead to 15 points (33-18) on another long bomb from Thomann, McNamara sparked a 9-0 run with a four-point play and a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions.

But the 6-point Sachems deficit would be short-lived, as Thomann answered with her fifth and final 3-pointer. Two more 3-pointers by Ilana Cohen and a Kit Heinrich jumper at the buzzer sealed the deal.

After the game, Tildsley was quick to credit the Sachems' improvement.

"This (Pentucket) team is going to be a great team," said the 13-year coach. "I can't say enough about what they have done with this team. They will make their mark in Division 3 this season, but they will be able to beat anyone next season."