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Bishop Fenwick basketball trounces Beverly

Saturday, February, 16 By Mike Grenier
Staff writer

DANVERS | The excitement is never written on Mike Clifford's face. That's just his personality.

If you'd run into Bishop Fenwick's junior center after the first round of the North Shore Hoop Invitational Saturday night, you never would've guessed from his demeanor whether his team won or lost.

But don't mistake Clifford's stoicism for some sort of lackadaisical attitude. He cares deeply about his team and how his performance will affect the outcome of a game.

The truth is, the 6-foot-7 Clifford is having the season of his life and he's carrying his team with him, especially in the last few games. Beverly High was helpless in trying to defend Clifford in the Crusaders' shockingly easy 89-62 win that enabled Bishop Fenwick (10-8) to qualify for the state tournament.

"What did he get, 40 (points) or so?" said St. John's Prep coach Dan Letarte, whose team plays Bishop Fenwick in the North Shore Invitational Monday night(8 p.m.).

No, Clifford didn't score 40, but it sure felt and looked like it. He ended up with 33 points and 20 rebounds as the Crusaders, who struggled mightily earlier in the season, won their fourth straight game.

Clifford, who spent his freshman year at Danvers High before transferring to Bishop Fenwick, needs 20 points in his old gym tonight to reach 1,000 for his career. He had 291 points in his one year with the Falcons but has really blossomed into a ferocious all-around force this season, averaging 24 points and 16-plus rebounds.

"I'm happy with (the performance), but I could've made a couple more free throws," said Clifford, who was 7 for 10 from the line and the no-brainer choice for game MVP for his team.

"We had some extra motivation tonight," he added. "We heard that Beverly (now 11-8) was just going to walk in and beat us, so that was one thing that got us going. We also wanted to make the state tourney. When we were 6-8, the coaches (reminded) us that we'd have to go 4-2 the rest of the way. We're 4-0 since then and we want to keep winning to get a higher seeding in the state tourney."

Clifford was quick to deflect attention from himself, saying the Crusaders probably played their best all-around game of the season.

Beverly forward Matt Tobin (14 points, Beverly MVP) had the difficult assignment of defending Clifford, and the Panthers' worst nightmare became a reality when it had to defend the perimeter as well.

Junior guard Nick Cotoia racked up a career-best 16 assists for the Crusaders. Junior guard Nolan DiPanfilo (17) and sophomore guard Trevor Grace (18) had the hot hand early and that opened things up for Clifford, who scored on a variety of deft inside moves and putbacks.

"We had no energy on offense or defense," said Beverly coach Scott Lewis. "We had a tough, emotional game against Salem (Friday night) and it's a short turnaround to play the next day, but Bishop Fenwick played Friday night, too. No excuses. There was nothing there for us."

Beverly talked bravely about winning this tournament for the first time in its 11-year history, but Clifford and the Crusaders were far more aggressive and determined from the opening jump. It was 22-10 after the first quarter and 49-19 at halftime. Clifford had 21 points and 13 rebounds in the opening half. Game over.

"Dominate | that's the word right there," said Lewis. "Clifford just dominated us inside and with his rebounding. He's got all those low post moves and their guards were hitting the outside shots, which made it harder for us."

As well as the Crusaders played, they can't get carried away with themselves. Tonight's opponent, St. John's Prep, is a different animal altogether. The Eagles are a Division 1 school with big bodies and a big reputation. They boast the greatest scorer in school history in 6-foot-3 guard Ryan O'Connell, who has 1,270 career points and is averaging 25 points this season. With sophomore guard Brendon Felder, they also have the kind of speed that Bishop Fenwick doesn't see on a regular basis.

"They present matchup problems for us," Bishop Fenwick coach Sean Connolly said of St. John's. "It's a good challenge for us."

Said Clifford, "They overmatched us last year (in the first round of the tourney). They just blew us out of the water. Shutting down Ryan O'Connell is our first priority."

Letarte's Eagles (12-6) will be favored, but it won't be a simple task. They have to devise a way to neutralize Clifford. Few teams have done it this season.