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Andover preps for postseason with win

Thursday, February, 24 By Jeff Hamrick

ANDOVER — With a playoff berth — as well as a seed — already determined, Andover had nothing to gain or lose in its regular-season finale last night. Except, that is, for a little revenge.

The Golden Warriors, ranked 10th in Eastern Massachusetts, outplayed a physical Brockton team for a 59-42 victory. The victory atoned for Andover losses each of the past three years to the Boxers, who entered the game averaging 73.1 points per game and were ranked before losing its previous two outings.

“It was just a night for all our seniors,” said Brian Salvesen, who helped kick start the Golden Warriors by scoring 10 of his 16 points in the opening quarter. “It was potentially the last home game here and we just wanted to have more fun than any other game. It was very important getting the win, especially against Brockton because they’ve gotten us pretty bad.”

Despite not having starters Jack Kieckhafer, who is nursing a lung infection, and Craig Luschenat, who has a toe injury, the Golden Warriors (15-5) quickly jumped on the Boxers (12-7). Andover out scored Brockton 23-16 in the opening quarter and took a 33-24 lead into intermission as the Golden Warriors had nine assists on their 13 first-half field goals. Leading scorer Joe Bramanti led the way with four before finishing with seven of his team’s 16 total assists.

“I think when Bramanti facilitates the game and puts people in position to score, that’s when we’re at our best,” Andover coach David Fazio said of his Merrimack Valley Conference player of the year. “Like I’ve told Joe, you don’t have to get 60 (points), you just have to facilitate the 60 by making good decisions. You need guys running and finishing the plays, and I think we had that tonight.”

Although Brockton has scored 93 or more points four times this season, and at least 85 in seven games, the Boxers were held in check by Andover’s stifling man defense, which limited Brockton to 28.5 percent shooting (16-56).

“That team might be struggling from a confidence level, but there are some major-league bodies on that team,” Fazio said of the Boxers, who garnered nine offensive rebounds in the first half, but only two in the fourth.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 5-point lead, Bramanti, who scored five of Andover’s first seven points in the period, and Van Caraviello, who had three assists, helped the Golden Warriors open a 12-point lead with 2:25 remaining.

“I really wanted to get everybody involved,” said Bramanti, who had a game-high 19 points. “It was our last game as seniors year, and I wanted to get the crowd involved to get a good night going out for the seniors.”

Last night’s game had no effect on Andover’s postseason positioning, but beating a team that you’ve lost to three straight years by an average of 18 points per game, should provide a little momentum.

“At 15-5, we have a solid record, and we want to build on it,” said Fazio, who added win or lose the game against Brockton had no effect on his squad’s seeding. “We were a lock at No. 11. We go 15-5, and we’re an 11 seed. We go on the road for the whole tournament. That’s kind of disappointing, but it is what it is.”