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Zenevitch can play, too

Sunday, December, 27 By Michael Muldoon
Staff writer

LAWRENCE — It's not easy to be the younger brother of a gifted female athlete who plays the same sport. For his entire life, Jimmy Zenevitch has been "Katie's little brother.''

Well, Katie Zenevitch, a Central Catholic senior, might be the greatest girls basketball player ever from region. 

"It's hard sometimes,'' admitted Zenevitch, a junior at Central. "My goal is to not be known as 'Katie's little brother. I just want to be known as Jimmy Zenevitch.''

After his 21-point effort in yesterday's easy 73-46 win over Salem in the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tourney semifinals, you can just call him Jimmy Zenevitch.

Or budding star.

Or All-Scholastic candidate.

If he keeps this up, Katie may start answering to "Jimmy's older sister.''

The glasses are gone, the gawkiness is gone and Zenevitch is just a 6-6 3/4, 230-pound, light on his feet scoring machine.

"He wants the ball down low,'' said Raider coach Rick Nault, whose club will take on Andover in the title game tomorrow night. "He's lefty, good with both hands, he's a matchup problem. Usually there big guy is on Carson (Desrosiers).''

 Zenevitch is in an enviable position.

"I get yelled at if I don't shoot,'' explained Zenevitch, who was 7 of 10 from the floor and might have scored 30-plus points but he sat most of the second half.

Salem coach E.J. Perry was duly impressed.

"You look at last December and this December and he's just raised the level of his game,'' said Perry. "He can finish and he can hit the 15-footer and at 6-7 he can rebound and bang.''

Central (4-0) was in command throughout, leading 16-7 after 1 and 39-20 at the half. It was 65-30 early in the fourth.

"Nothing fell for us. Once they build a lead, you aren't coming back,'' said Perry. "They can press the whole night and keep those two (Zenevitch and Desrosiers) back.''

Although he was a force on the backboards, Desrosiers' numbers (9 points, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 loud dunk) weren't eyepopping. But his floor game was brilliant with passes an all-scholastic point guard would be proud of. He delivered a perfect 25-foot bounce pass to super freshman Joel Berroa (15 points, 5 rebounds) for a layup.

"We run everything through him,'' said Nault. "He's a point forward (at 6-11!).''

Alex LaRosa led Salem (1-2) with 19 points and Joe Gallant added 16 points and 11 rebounds.