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Haverhill holds off Knights

NORTH ANDOVER — Haverhill's girls won the battle Friday night but they're hopeful they didn't lose the war.

Fighting for a playoff spot, the Hillies (8-9) held off North Andover, 52-47, to move an important step toward the tournament, but they may have taken a blow in that goal late in the third quarter.

With less than a minute to play in the quarter and Haverhill ahead 44-34, sophomore point guard Kya Burdier drove to the basket with abandon. She could not get her shot off, however, and went down to the floor hard on her knee. After a 10-minute stoppage of play, she was helped off the floor and did not return.

Until that point, Burdier was the clear catalyst for the Hillies She played arguably her best quarter of the year in the third with 10 points and two assists to finish with a game-high 17 points.

Without Burdier running the offense, the Hillies did not make a single field goal in the fourth quarter and had to rely on free throws to thwart a furious North Andover comeback.

It wasn't easy. The Hillies missed 10 free throws in the final frame, including four in a row at one point. But captain Christina Firek did convert 4 of 6, including the final two, to nail down the victory.

"I was a little nervous, but when it came down to making them when it really counted,, we came through," said Firek, who finished with 12 points.

Reflecting on the Hillies' next three games, in which they'll need to win two to make the tournament, Firek knows it will be a huge challenge if Burdier isn't available.

"It wouldn't be good," said Firek. "She's a really big asset on our team."

Prior to the third quarter, Haverhill took advantage of energetic senior Leandra Kwo and some cold North Andover shootind (3 of 24) to take a 26-16 halftime lead. Kwo had 10 points and eight rebounds in the first half but got in foul trouble and only scored two points in the second half.

With Burdier out of the game, and Kwo neutralized, the Knights (8-9) got back in the game quickly in the fourth quarter. Trailing 46-36, they went on a 10-0 run to tie the game with 1:59 left to play, spearked by five straight points from Caitlin Panos.

But the Knights turned cold once again down the stretch and the Hillies made enough free throws to survive.

Playing exceptionally well in the second half for the Knights was senior Norah Connors, scoring 11 of her game-high 13 points prior to fouling out in the closing seconds.

The Knights, like Haverhill, are now on the playoff bubble. With their fourth straight loss, they're now 8-9 and must win their last two games, against Lowell and Woburn, to qualify.

Haverhill needs to win two of its next three, with Methuen, Dracut and Newburyport remaining, That certainly seems doable, but it will be tough if Burdier is not available.