The Lions got run over by the last night.
“I’ve been here 22 years; that’s as good a half as we’ve ever had in this gym,” said Andover Head Coach David Fazio of his team’s first half effort that put Andover up by 25 at the break.
Senior captain Joe Bramanti dropped 30 on the Lions in a 76-50 train-wreck for Chelmsford.
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“We tried to take him out of the game,” said Lions head Coach Charlie Micol.
They simply could not. Chelmsford was forced to double-team Bramanti after he slashed easily to the basket in the first couple possessions. The double-team actually made things worse.
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“People want to double-team him; that’s fine. That’s four versus three everywhere else,” said Fazio. “We like those chances,” he added.
“If they [Andover] shoot the ball well, teams are going to struggle against them,” said Micol.
The Lions struggled against the multifaceted Andover attack. Andover sophomore Sam Dowden scored 15 points as his team’s secondary option.
The Lions had only one player reach double figures; Matt Daniels scraped up ten points. The senior, normally his squad’s go-to scorer, registered only four field goals including a three-pointer.
“We’re not trying to peak right now; we’re trying to just get better every possession,” said Micol.
It was a close game for the first five minutes of the contest before Andover ended the first quarter on a 9-0 run highlighted by one of Bramanti's four three-pointers.
In the second, the Lions were outscored by 15 setting the halftime score at 47-22.
A Joe Bramanti dunk gave Andover a 31 point lead with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter. About two minutes later, Fazio pulled his starters.
The fourth quarter was a turnover-filled affair that actually saw Chelmsford outscore Andover 14-9.
Micol knew Andover would be ready to play.
“I’m very realistic in terms of, you know they have a veteran group that have played a lot together,” he said. “Playing them here [in Andover] is always tough,” he added.
Andover was loud and proud throughout the night as the Warriors have conjured up a three game winning streak.
“We went down big; you tip your hat. They did a great job,” Micol said.
The carnage ended in a 26 point defeat for Chelmsford that dropped their season record to 4-6. However, a 4-4 record in the Merrimack Valley Small Conference has them in first place. Billerica, with a 5-6 conference record is in second, is breathing down their necks.
Andover improved to 11-3 with the convincing win but still trail Central Catholic in the Merrimack Valley Large Conference.
Chelmsford’s next battle will be a huge one in the standings. With a chance to pick up a league win, the Lions will host the Methuen High Rangers on Friday night.