Tough, unselfish play earns Andover first-round victory

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CARL RUSSO/Staff photoAndover's captain Devon Caveney sinks the 3-point as the official gives the 3-point sign. Caveney finished with three 3-pointers and 23 points to lead the Warriors.
CARL RUSSO/Staff photo Andover guard Devon Caveney splits the defense as she drives to the basket in last night's 59-50 victory over Somerville. Caveney led all scorers with 23 points. CARL RUSSO/Staff photo
CARL RUSSO/Staff photo Andover's Angelice Gonzalez sails to the hoop during last night's 59-50 victory over Somerville. CARL RUSSO/Staff photo

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February 26, 2013

Tough, unselfish play earns Andover first-round victory

Tough, unselfish play earn Warriors first-round win

By Chuck Frye sports@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Tue Feb 26, 2013, 01:39 AM EST

ANDOVER — If there’s one thing Jim Tildsley has been candid about, it’s that his Andover squad is, shall we say, interesting on the offensive end.

“Oh, yeah, we’re an adventure on offense,” the veteran head coach said. “We look great in some spots and then we can turn it over with the best of them. We get our offense off our defense, and when we have to go to our set offense, that’s where we struggle.”

Andover did surrender 23 turnovers last night in its tourney opener, but the team’s saving grace has always been how it sells out on the defensive end. Holding Somerville to just three points over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the third period allowed the Warriors to expand an eight-point halftime lead to 18, then hold on for a 59-50 Division 1 North victory.

Now at 17-6, the Warriors get some rest as they will face the winner of Thursday’s matchup between top seed Lynn English (20-2) and No. 16 Medford (11-10) in the quarterfinals.

“You can’t question our heart and how hard we play,” Tildsley said. “They don’t let mistakes bother them like a lot of kids do. That’s why we’re successful ... they forget it and try that much harder.”

Senior Abby Katz drew the night’s tough assignment, blanketing prolific 6-1 junior center Melissa Baptista, and did an admirable job. Baptista had to work hard for her 19 points as the 5-7 Katz physically fronted her to deny passes to the low block.

“It was pretty challenging,” said Katz, who finished with 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assists. “We’ve worked on it in practice, covering someone that’s bigger. Jackie and Rebecca (Alois) and everyone on the team really helped out from behind.”

And that was while sustaining a disruptive trap on Somerville’s guards at the same time.

“Angelice (Gonzalez, with 5 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists) had a good game defensively and running the offense,” Tildsley said. “And Devon Caveney and Jackie, they’re the rocks. They’re relentless, they don’t want to lose, and I can’t say enough about them.”

After a tough 1 for 8 first half, Caveney (team-high 6 assists) wanted the ball in the third quarter and blew up for 12 of her 23 points on 5 of 8 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. Jackie Alois (nine points) added dogged defense and a clutch 3-ball in the third while junior Jessica Witten and senior Olivia Biles each contributed eight points off the bench.

An otherworldly 16-point fourth quarter from point guard Indira Evora (21 points before fouling out) got the Highlanders within eight but they ran out of time.

When asked if he can expect a more consistent effort now that the first-game jitters are gone, Tildsley said with a laugh, “We didn’t have any butterflies (last night), that’s how we play.”

agateHed:Andover 59, Somerville 50

agateText:Division 1 North First Round

agateText:Somerville (50):@zzAgate:agateText: Indira Evora 6 5-6 21, Melissa Baptista 8 3-8 19, Melissa McGovern 2 0-0 4, Kristen Florio 1 0-0 2, Leslie Durate 1 0-0 2, Brooke Metivier 0 2-2 2, Esther Joseph 0 0-2 0, Ella Tyler 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 10-18 50

agateText:Andover (59):@zzAgate:agateText: Devon Caveney 6 8-12 23, Jackie Alois 2 3-4 9, Jessica Witten 3 0-0 8, Olivia Biles 2 2-2 8, Angelice Gonzalez 2 1-2 5, Rebecca Alois 2 0-0 4, Abby Katz 0 2-4 2, Colleen Caveney 0 0-0 0, Jordan Day 0 0-0 0, Emma Bentley 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 16-24 59

agateText:3-pointers:@zzAgate:agateText: S — Evora 4; A — D. Caveney 3, Witten 2, Biles 2, Alois 2

agateText:Somerville (14-7):@zzAgate:agateText: 9 10 7 24 — 50

agateText:Andover (17-6):@zzAgate:agateText: 12 15 17 15 — 59