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Andover can't shake shooting slumber

Friday, February, 27 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

EVERETT - Andover High survived a 3-point second quarter.

No. 5 Everett wasn't going to wait for the Warrior offense all night. The host Tide, up a tenuous 20-13 at the half, pulled away as Andover's shooting woes continued deep into the third and the Warriors' season ended here in the Division 1 North Quarterfinals, 63-47.

No. 13 Andover, which shot in so well in Tuesday's upset win at Malden, just couldn't buy a bucket.

"I hate to say it, but in the first half we named our shots," said coach Dave Fazio.
"If you're going to win these games, you need guys to make shots. Everybody's got to make plays."

Despite all kinds of open looks, the Warriors missed their first 11 3-point attempts, not connecting until senior Kevin Polanco nailed his first hoop of the night with 6:31 left in the game.

Andover went the final 7:40 of the second quarter without a field goal and missed five of six free throws in that drought.

Somehow, the visitors hung around, down 20-13 at the break.

"Our defensive gameplan was great," said Fazio, who basically positioned all five of his players with at least one foot in the paint at all times in "help" mode. "They couldn't get the ball inside.

"But we missed seven foul shots and seven layups."

Giant Everett - which goes 6-10, 6-7, 6-4 up front - went "small," starting the third with space-eating all-leaguer Jerome Cohen on the bench.

That move, fused with Andover's unshakable shooting slumber, did in the Warriors, who found themselves down 17 (39-22) into the fourth.

"You stop scoring and they start scoring, you know how it is," said Fazio. "And we kind of panicked."

By the time the Warriors kicked in, this one was well over.

Andover had 25 points in the fourth, more than doubling its total from the previous three quarters combined. Eight of the Warriors' 14 field goals came in the final period.

"It was just one of those nights," said Fazio. "How can I be mad at these kids? I love these kids. They deserve better."

The senior Polanco, headed to Trinity in the fall, was the only Andover player in double figures with 14 points. His classmate Connor Arnold chipped in nine.

Everett will now play the waiting game as it will play the winner of Monday night's Central Catholic-Lynn Classical battle in the North semis, sometime late next week.