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Longmeadow makes quite a splash, entering this week's MIAA boys' lacrosse Top 25 poll at No. 11 while making its season debut.

The Lancers crack the rankings this week after notching a Top 25 victory over Central Mass Power Algonquin. However, they weren't the only Western Mass. squad entering the poll this week, as South Hadley -- only a half-game behind Longmeadow in the Wheel standings at 5-0 -- also makes its season debut at No. 22.

(Editors note: Rankings do not reflect Tuesday's results or the adjustment in records made in accordance with Foxborough's forfeited win over No. 12 Reading.)

A BIG WIN
Aside from Longmeadow, the team covering the most ground this week is Dover-Sherborn. The Raiders hop up 10 spots to No. 15 after a huge 6-3 win over Tri-Valley League rival Medfield -- showing why they're to team to beat (again) in Division 3. Now, we could have been more harsh on the Warriors, but we still believe Medfield is the team to beat in Division 2, so we're keeping them in the Top 10 at No. 7 -- for now. Also drawing a significant boost from a conference win last week is Andover, which moves up seven spots to No. 16 after a thrilling overtime victory over Merrimack Valley rival Billerica.

CONCORD, Mass. -- Charlie Painter is an attack player by trade, but with teammate and top midfielder Will Blumenberg still recovering from a football injury, Painter proved pretty adept as a middie in his own right despite next to no practice time at the position.

Painter and Blumenberg each recorded hat tricks to help lead the Patriots to an 11-6 victory over Winchester in the final game of Day One of the Coaches Challenge Cup tournament at Doug White Memorial Field.

Blumenberg, a three-sport star who quarterbacks the football team and serves as the basketball team's point guard, suffered a foot injury during the Patriots Thanksgiving football game against Bedford. He missed the hoops season and is playing at far less than his full capacity thus far on the lacrosse fields. C-C coach Tom Dalicandro elected to move him to attack to save him some wear and tear while turning to Painter, one of the team's captains, to handle midfield duties.

"We kind of yo-yoed (Painter) because he's a really smart kid," explained Dalicandro afterward. "We put Will at attack and we let him play middie without really coaching him that much. He's a really smart kid, he knows how to play and he's a kid we can move around a little bit. We expect him to compete for us and do a good job as one of our captains."

The move also benefitted Blumenberg, who turned in his best effort so far, adding a hat trick and 10 faceoff wins to his game totals.

"This was the best he's played all year," Dalicandro said. "Will's probably about 50 percent athletically of what we was from last year because of his foot injury. Will's a middie but for us he's been struggling getting up and down the field so we played him mostly at attack and he took some faceoffs. Sometimes he just makes plays, which we need. He can carry the ball a little bit and has a good shot. I thought this was the best he's played. This was back to the Will from last year."

Winchester (3-2) was the team that got off to the stronger start, however, as Tim Mangano and Evan Carey both scored to stake the Sachems to a quick 2-0 lead. Concord-Carlisle (4-2) responded with the first of two goals from Jack Barrett and proceeded to run off six straight before Gerald Nluve stopped the bleeding for Winchester right before the half.

The Patriots blanked the Sachems in the third while scoring five of their own as Painter, Blumenberg, Barrett, freshman Aidan Cyr (two goals) and Peter Anastos all found the back of the cage to push the lead to 11-3. Winchester fought the entire way and made things interesting in the final frame as Tyler Calnan got one and Dan Marx scored twice, the second coming with 2:56 to go, but C-C was able to hold on from there.

"The thing I was very pleased about was that, even in our youth and our immaturity and our inexperience, we competed hard," said Winchester coach John Pirani in praise of his team. "I don't think we competed smart for 48 minutes but we competed hard for 48 minutes. And you could see our inexperience. Three sophomore attackmen, a couple of freshmen playing at midfield and we just didn't take advantage of what a good team gave us. They gave us a few things, we just didn't take advantage of it. But the thing that comes through here in the middle of April, and hopefully in preparation for the end of the season, is that we'll learn those lessons and get more consistent and tougher all the way through."

WELLESLEY 7, ANDOVER 4: New players stepping means new nicknames for kids who will go by "Risky Biz" and "No Name Bobby" for the time being. The hope is that those players, and others whose nicknames we've yet to learn, will help the Raiders continue to improve with each practice and game day.

Tucker "No Name Bobby" Dietrick scored twice, as did John Caraviello, and Mike "Risky Biz" Riskind made 12 saves to lead Wellesley (3-3) while Andrew Eriksen had two goals to pace the Golden Warriors (2-2).

Andover built a 3-1 lead at the half on goals from Eriksen, Jesse Greaves and Justin Bresnan while the defense did a tremendous job of limiting the Raiders to just a lone tally from Kerry Lyne.

Senior captain Andrew Volkman changed the momentum by owning the faceoff X in the third quarter, sparking Wellesley to a four-goal spurt that gave them a 5-3 advantage to take into the final frame.

"Volkman did a great job at facing off today, had some good help from the wings," praised Raiders coach Rocky Batty. "Tucker Morgan, who was out there with him on the wing, I thought did just a fantastic job of keeping it on the ground and giving us a chance to win the ball."

Eriksen fired in his second score early in the fourth to pull his team to within a goal but Caraviello put in his second, then Brian Pedersen capped the scoring with a beautiful transition goal off an Andover turnover with 55 seconds remaining.

"At the end of the third, I think we had taken the lead by then," Batty recalled. "The three coaches got together and said, 'We're still not running an offense. We're kind of getting hustle goals.' And I can't think of the last time a coach argued about a hustle goal, but after that we had to run some offense. We had possession, we struggled with transition all day and then we finally got that last one which, maybe that leads to a lot of transition from here, we'll find out."

Attackmen:
Tyler Bogart, Soph., Catholic Memorial
Jordan Dow, Sr., Lincoln-Sudbury
Jay Drapeau, Jr., Westford Academy
Brandon Jaeger, Sr., Dover-Sherborn
C.J. LoConte, Sr., Duxbury
Andrew Melvin, Sr., Medfield
Nick Menzel, Jr., Archbishop Williams
Nico Panepinto, Sr., Needham
Robbie Pisano, Sr., Needham
Tyler Reilly, Sr., Grafton
Andrew Smiley, Jr., St. John’s (Shrewsbury)

Midfielders:
Kevin Bletzer, Jr., Catholic Memorial
Will Blumenberg, Soph., Concord-Carlisle
Caleb Brodie, Jr., Hingham
Alec Brown, Sr., Wakefield
Tucker Ciessau, Sr., Scituate
Dan Delaney, Sr., Lincoln-Sudbury
Henry Guild, Sr., Lincoln-Sudbury
Carson Hart, Sr., Wayland
Davis Kraft, Sr., Algonquin
Matt LaCroix, Sr., Westfield
Drew O’Connell, Jr., St. John’s Prep
Mikey Panepinto, Jr., Needham
Kieran Presley, Sr., Amherst
Bryan Rotartori, Sr., Grafton
Jack Wheeler, Jr., Xaverian

Long-stick Midfielders:
Nick Brozowski, Jr., Concord-Carlisle
Mike Elcock, Jr., Needham
D.J. George, Sr., Arlington Catholic
John Sexton, Jr., Lincoln-Sudbury

Defensemen:
Evan Boynton, Sr., Concord-Carlisle
Tim Gillis, Soph., Cohasset
Brian Uva, Sr., St. John’s Prep
Luc Valenza, Sr., Foxborough
Jay Walsh, Sr., Duxbury
Tyler Weeks, Sr., Andover
Ian Yanulis, Sr., BC High

Goaltender:
Andrew Blood, Jr., Walpole
Matt Comerford, Sr., Reading
Ryan Goodall, Sr., Dover-Sherborn
Nick Marrocco, Jr., Duxbury
Giles Ober, Sr., Algonquin
Jake Reynolds, Jr., Scituate
D.J. Smith, Sr., Billerica
Robert Treiber, Jr., Medfield
Tighe Van Lenten, Sr., Masconomet

In the biggest game of the year in MIAA hoops, the Division 1 state title game, it seemed as if the sophomores were hitting all the big shots. With hundreds of Mansfield fans directly behind the basket screaming and waving, Putnam sophomore Ty Nichols nailed two free throws with eight seconds left in overtime to seal the Beavers’ first state title in school history.

But let’s not forget how the game got to that point. Rewind to the end of regulation.

Mansfield sophomore Ryan Boulter put on one of the gutsiest performances that we saw all season. After he was fouled on a three-point attempt with five seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Boulter went to the line with an opportunity to tie the game and send it into overtime. Miss one, and his team, in all likelihood, would lose the game.

Not only did Boulter hit all three free throws, he did so without ever taking his eyes off the rim -— not even to catch the bounce passes that came from the referee following each of the first two free throws. He sent the game into overtime, then hit a three-pointer from the wing to give Mansfield the lead.

Following a four point swing by Putnam, Boulter put the team on his back one last time -— draining a three-pointer to tie the game with just seconds to go in overtime. Enter Nichols, and game over.

While Putnam’s entire team circled around their trophy in the pressroom after the game, a few of Mansfield’s players sat across the room waiting to be interviewed. Boulter fought back tears. Brendan Hill -- a sophomore who was Hockomock League MVP and considered to be a Division 1 prospect in both football and basketball -- stared at the floor, head in hands.

While listening for Putnam senior KayJuan Bynum talk about the pride that Springfield has in basketball, I couldn’t help but glance over at Hill and Boulter across the room. Both fierce competitors with unbelievable poise, they sat in the shadows of the pressroom while Putnam’s players hugged each other in celebration.

That was the ringing overtone talked about for days following the state title game: Mansfield will be back.

It was the same reaction seen on the floor of the Tsongas Center only a week earlier. After a crushing defeat to a more experienced Central Catholic team, Lynn English sophomore guard Stevie Collins pulled his jersey over his face as the final buzzer sounded, hiding tears from watching Central Catholic celebrate the Division 1 North championship.

The playoff run was an unexpected one for the Bulldogs, and English can be expected to be back next year. With Collins’ classmates Johnny Hilaire (6-foot-6 forward) and Erick Rosario (6-foot guard) both returning, as well as juniors Freddy Hogan and Danny Lukanda, expect a big run from English once again. The Bulldogs' run to the North final almost wasn’t possible, mainly because of 20 points from Everett sophomore Gary Clark in the quarterfinal match -- a high-scoring, back-and-forth match that left English the 94-87 victors.

English, Putnam, and Mansfield, and Everett are not alone in boasting talented young players, though. Statewide, the MIAA’s depth in the 2015 and 2016 classes is one of the best we have seen in recent memory.

***

DAVIS, COLLINS LEAD LONG LIST OF POINT GUARDS

Collins leads a long list of talented floor generals in the 2015 and 2016 classes. Those included (and very close behind him) are Lowell sophomore Kareem Davis, who ignited one of the state’s most exciting offenses this year; New Mission's Randy Glenn, a left-handed playmaker who was pivotal in helping the short-handed Titans make a run to the Boston City League championship; St. Peter-Marian freshman Makai Ashton, a fearless point guard who is considered to be the best long-term guard prospect in the Worcester area; and Melrose frosh Sherron Harris, whose "on-court killer" style of play is scarily similar to his cousin, Cushing Academy star Jalen Adams.

-- St. John's (Shrewsbury) sophomore Davon Jones has more big-game experience than any of the point guards listed above, as he has helped lead Bob Foley’s Pioneer squad to WPI each of the last two years. As mentioned with Hill, Jones is considered to be a Division 1 football prospect.

-- Boston English freshman Ernie Chatman will win a lot of games for Boston English over the next three years, Chatman is a great ballhandler who is also lightning quick and a great floor leader.

-- Along with Glenn and Chatman, Brighton freshman Javaughn Edmonds will make a major impact in the Boston City League in the coming years. Edmonds will be looked to to step in and help fill in some of the production missing from departing ESPN Boston Mr. Basketball Malik James.

***

MIAA’S TOP PROSPECT HEADS FORWARDS

There is no question who has the highest ceiling of any player in the MIAA. It is Springfield Central’s 6-foot-8 sophomore Chris Baldwin. A sureshot Division 1 prospect who can block shots, rebound at a high rate, and score in a variety of ways, Baldwin will make sure Central remains one of the state’s best hoops programs after making the Western Mass. Division 1 championship game once again this year.

St. Peter-Marian freshman Greg Kuakumensah will have big shoes to fill next year for the Guardians, especially as they soon graduate forward Tim Berry, the heart and soul of their offense. Kuakumensah, the younger brother of Brown University forward Cedric Kuakumensah, will join Ashton in what should be a very bright future for St. Peter-Marian. At 6-foot-4, he is a great shot blocker like his older brother, but is also tremendous athlete and competitor.

-- SPM isn’t the only squad returning a talented young duo though. Brighton, the Division 2 state champion, will, alongside Edmonds, return 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Jason Jones, who played a lead role in helping the Bengals to their first Boston City League championship.

-- Andover's 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Connor Merinder was limited in minutes this year as he recovered from a severe wrist injury. However, he was able to recover by playoff time and led the Warriors to the Division 1 North semifinals, knocking off Medford and St. John’s Prep in order to do so.

-- For all the attention to the prospects at larger Division 1 and 2 schools, keep an eye on 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Jake Wisniewski out of Quaboag. After averaging over 20 points per game for Quaboag this past year, the already-experienced post scorer is one of the state’s top prospects in Division 3. A talented forward at Division 3 New Leadership, 6-foot-6 freshman Davidson Pacheco, will take his talents elsewhere after averaging 10 points per game this year, what with the expected closing of the Springfield-based charter school.

***

MOBLEY, JUDSON CAN MAKE IT RAIN

Newton North sophomore Tommy Mobley was one of the state’s most feared scorers this year, leading the Tigers to a 20-4 record and picking up Bay State Carey MVP. Mobley and St. John’s Prep sophomore guard Ben Judson showed that they can be two of the MIAA’s best scorers again next year. Like Mobley, Judson’s three-point range extends all the way out to 25 feet—as both were known to drop a barrage of three-pointers on opponents this year, heavily guarded or not.

New Mission's Juwan Gooding, New Bedford's Tyree Weston, and Catholic Memorial's Guilien Smith, were all early exits from the state tournament this year. But as three of the MIAA’s most talented pure scorers in the 2015 class, they’ll be back for big runs next year. Smith and Gooding are finesse guys who use their quick first step to get to the rim, while Weston uses his sculpted frame to overpower opponents and score inside-out.

-- One other Springfield product to keep an eye on is Cathedral sophomore Darrick Boyd. The young, talented sharpshooter scored 19 points per game this year, leading Cathedral to a 13-9 record. Danvers sophomore Vinny Clifford, also a dead-eye shooter, will be looked at to be a leader for the two-time defending Division 3 state champion. Clifford, the younger brother of Merrimack College forward Mike Clifford, was an integral piece this year for a team led by Eric Martin, Nick Bates, and Nick McKenna.

-- Yet another two-sport star, Wakefield sophomore Bruce Brown, helped the Warriors make a deep run in the Division 2 North tournament this year, eventually falling to a deeper, more experienced North Andover team. Brown is an elite athlete who, at his best, is nearly unstoppable because of his upper body strength. On the football field, Brown caught seven touchdown passes as a wide receiver last fall.

-- Two 14-seed over 3-seed upsets in the first round of the Division 1 North tournament should be remembered going forward. Freshman Saul Phiri’s heroics in a first-round upset win helped lead Haverhill past Westford Academy, while frosh Keyshaad Dixon’s three-pointers sparked perhaps the most surprising win of the first round, as Braintree knocked off heavily-favored BC High.

-- St. John's (Shrewsbury) freshman Adham Floyd, was a very important piece for the Pioneers’ run to the Central Mass. Division 1 title game, starting several games during the season. Bishop Feehan freshman Mike Nelson, a teammate of Floyd's with the Shooting Stars AAU program, showed great poise in leading his team to an impressive run in the Division 3 South tournament, falling narrowly in the quarterfinals to eventual D3 South champion Martha’s Vineyard.

***

Picking the Super Team for this year's ESPN Boston MIAA All-State Team sparked as much debate as any Super Team selection in recent years. The statewide parity, talented young players bolting to prep school, and lack of scholarship-level talent in the upper classes forced careful consideration and a never-ending debate about picking out the MIAA’s elite upperclassmen.

However, with the amount of freshmen and sophomores who made a name for themselves on a big stage this year -- the instant-classic Division 1 state final between Mansfield and Putnam being the prime example -- it's likely we won’t spend too much time worrying about the pipelines of scholarship-level talent coming up the ranks in MIAA basketball.

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- For the past two weeks, there has been a reemergence of the Central Catholic team most prognosticators expected to be a serious contender for the Division 1 Massachusetts State Championship.

It has been the team that shocked the state back in January when it came within four points of beating national power St. Anthony (N.J.) in a game it was not expected to win.

Tuesday, Central continued its run by beating Merrimack Valley Conference foe Andover 61-48 to advance to the Division 1 North final Saturday.

Central (20-5) smothered Andover (16-7) defensively, forcing 19 turnovers and holding it to 10 points in the entire first half. Its only points in the quarter came on a David Giribaldi (15 points) three-pointer.

“They totally took us out of everything we were trying to do,” said Andover coach Dave Fazio. “We couldn’t turn the corner, couldn’t make shots. You’d figure with the season that we had that we wouldn’t play tentative, but their defense just locked us down. We couldn’t get to the rim, we couldn’t make shots, it was just a tough, tough night at the office.”

Conversely, everything seemed to go well for Central. It got scoring where it needed it (31 points from Tyler Nelson), rebounded well (20 combined rebounds from Joel Berroa, Aaron Hall, and Mike Barry), and got quality defense (4 steals by Nelson, 3 blocks from Hall).

“I’ve had a lot of great wins in my short seven years, had state championship wins, tournament wins, conference wins, but this might be one of the best wins we’ve ever had,” said Central coach Rick Nault. “I don’t know how many teams in the state can be without two of their top four players and win three games in the tournament and beat a team that just beat the No. 1 seed. For me, in my eyes, this is one of the great wins I’ve had in seven years.”

Hall fills role: Since two of Central’s five starters, Doug Gemmell and Nick Cambio, have been out with injuries, the team has relied on 6-foot-6 junior Aaron Hall to fill one of its starting forward positions. The team is used to playing without Gemmell -- who suffered a concussion earlier in the season, and is now dealing with a recurrence of symptoms -- but it is not used to playing without Cambio. The junior injured his hamstring in a Feb. 20 loss at Lowell.

Hall and Joel Berroa (11 points, eight rebounds) were tasked with defending Andover’s post pair of Sam Dowden and Connor Merinder. To say they succeeded would be an understatement, as they held them without a point each in the first half, and they finished with 12 and 1 point respectively. Eight of Dowden’s points came at the free throw line.

“We said to Joel that it was going to come down to who wins the battle of the two forwards, him or Dowden,” said Nault. “Is he going to outplay Dowden? If he does, we’re going to win. Or is Dowden going to get the better of him? If he does, we’re in trouble. Without Nick and Doug, Joel has to do so many more things than he’s used to doing, and he won that battle tonight.”

Hall may not have lit up the scoresheet (seven points, six rebounds, three blocks), but he made life difficult inside for Andover. Its guards had difficulty finishing at the rim off the dribble, and Dowden was unable to muscle his way around the post like he wanted to. Because they were unable to work the ball inside effectively, it had to rely on outside jump shooting to score, and it was one of those nights where the shots were just not going in.

“People don’t give him enough credit,” said Nelson. “He plays his heart out, he really does. He boxes out, rebounds, does all the little things for us. He was a key player for us tonight. We wouldn’t have played as well as we did the last three games of the year if it wasn’t for him playing and rebounding as well as he is right now, especially with Doug and Nick out.”

As the games continue, the stage is getting bigger and bigger, but Hall is showing no signs of inexperience or nerves.

“I know I just have to push, even if I’m tired, just give 110 percent the whole time,” he said. “If you don’t, it could be your last game, and you just have to try hard.”

Rapid Rebound: It is strange to believe a team can cruise through a state sectional tournament with two of its starting five gone with injuries, but that is what Central has done so far this postseason. When it was without Gemmell in February, it had its ups and downs, most notably a 22-point loss to Lowell 8 days before the tournament started. But now here it is, one win away from a sectional title and three wins away from a state championship.

How?

“I don’t really have an answer for that,” Nelson said. “My best guess would be that we’re just playing really hard right now and real good team basketball. That’s what’s making us win and score a lot of points. We’re all working hard, especially on defense. A lot of our defense is causing a lot of offense, and me, Joel, and Lucas are playing really well together. Every guy that plays is stepping up right now.”

Nault credits focus and intensity for his team’s recent performance.

“We’re fighting and clawing every possession, and I think it showed that in the first half tonight,” he said. “Every possession, you have to fight and claw. You have to bump guys, be active, you gotta be talking. We’ve got to bring everything we can to the table every defensive possession, without those two guys, our two bigs.”

Embracing Hostility: Tyler Nelson has long drawn the ire and attention of Andover’s fan section, nicknamed "Jack’s Jungle". Such was the case Tuesday night, when they got into a tit-for-tat throughout the game. Any prolific scorer on any team is bound to hear chants of things like “Overrated!” when they walk into opposing gyms, but it is up to the player on the court to acknowledge them.

During one possession in the first half, Nelson was standing on the wing, directly in front of the Andover student section. After receiving a pass, he drove to the basket and hit one of the few fallaway jumpers he hit throughout the game. When the shot went in, he turned around, looked at the fans, said something, and ran back up the floor with his palms up.

He even heard negative chants later in the game, after Central had pulled away. When the game was over, he acknowledged he takes those chants and taunts and helps him use them to fuel his play.

“I definitely use it as fuel,” he said. “The first two times we played them, especially the first time, I didn’t have too good of a game and I got an “overrated” chant. So I kind of kept that in the back of my memory, and I made sure I got my revenge back in the end.”

Saturday Showdown: With the win, Central Catholic moves on to face Lynn English Saturday at the Tsongas Center for the Division 1 North title. The two teams did not play during the regular season, but English did play in the IAABO Board 130 Classic, which Central hosted. There, Nault was able to get a glance at his future opponent.

“They’re a very good defensive team, they trap all over the place,” he said. “The last time we played them in the Tsongas Arena, we got whacked, back in 2009. We have to prepare for them. They have a very athletic group, with two big guys up front, so it’s going to be an absolute challenge for us.”

As advertised, here’s our final Super 8 hockey tournament 10-team projection ahead of Saturday morning's selection committee meeting.

Of course, we’d like to hear your input, and feel free to give us your 10-team field below in the Comments field or via Twitter (@espnbostonhs).

1. St. John’s Prep (17-2-1)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 2

Goal Differential: +63

Why they’re in this spot: Last time out, we slotted the Eagles behind No. 1 Springfield Cathedral. While the teams skated to a 1-1 tie last Saturday, Prep vastly outshot the Panthers, who needed a late third-period goal to come away with a point. Emerging from a 2-1 loss against Central Catholic on Dec. 26, the Catholic Conference champions have been a complete, balanced team deserving of the top billing.

2. Springfield Cathedral (16-1-4)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 1

Goal Differential: +69

Why they’re in this spot: The Panthers were ticketed for the top spot until the last week of the season. Is there a cause for concern that they dropped three of an available six points during the last week of the season? Well, it’s not time to hit the panic button, but perhaps they’ve lost some momentum. Or, perhaps not having to play to the burden of entering the tournament with an unbeaten record will help them in the long run.

3. Austin Prep (13-1-6)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 7

Goal Differential: +42

Why they’re in this spot: No team did more to bolster their resume in the season’s final week than the Cougars. AP claimed wins over fellow Super 8 hopefuls Hingham and BC High before walloping Falmouth 9-0 in the Cape Cod Classic championship game – a truly impressive display. The fact that they failed to claim the Catholic Central Large title cannot hurt them at this juncture.

4. BC High (13-3-3)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 3

Goal Differential: +28

Why they’re in this spot: Truth be told, the Eagles’ loss to AP on the Cape may have cost them the No. 3 seed. What’s more surprising was the manner in which BC High lost that tilt. A typically sound defensive squad was found running around some in the third period. They’ll be sure to tighten up for the playoffs, as they’ve been among the statewide leaders in GAA all year.

5. Reading (16-1-5)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 4

Goal Differential: +55

Why they’re in this spot: The Rockets move down a spot from the last projection, on an account of AP’s RPI boost from the Cape Cod Classic. That could actually help Reading in the fact that they played potential first-round opponent BC High during the regular season. While the Eagles skated away with a 2-0 victory in the teams’ Dec. 29 meeting, the fact that Rockets skated with them and have a familiarity with BC High’s style of play could improve their prospects at getting through in a three-game series.

6. Catholic Memorial (12-6-2)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 9

Goal Differential: +40

Why they’re in this spot: The Knights had a mid-season dry spell, but closed with authority with a trifecta of wins over Super 8 Watch List teams in the final week against Braintree, Central Catholic and Xaverian, improving their RPI standing and moving them out of the dreaded win-or-go-home play-in round. Most impressive of all was the Knights’ 4-3 win over Connecticut powerhouse Fairfield Prep in Bridgeport. It might not look as familiar to the committee voters as the aforementioned opponents, but it should be considered A-No. 1 of their marquee wins on the season.

(Play-in seeds, determined by team records):

7. Archbishop Williams (12-4-4)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 5

Goal Differential: +44

Why they’re in this spot: The Bishops move down into the play-in group on the heels of a performance on Cape Cod that wasn’t what they wanted, only to be deemed by a win over Hingham on the final day of their season – a must have. Archies still shows some lacking in the marquee win department (Chelmsford?), but are propelled by their CCL title and a gut-check win over the Harbormen on the most important day of the year.

8. Central Catholic (13-5-3)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 8

Goal Differential: +35

Why they’re in this spot: I believe the Raiders are free and clear as the DCL/MVC Division 1 champions. Count their emphatic wins over runner-up Chelmsford as their raison d'être. Still, the committee will have to get over a troubling lack of goal-scoring in the last week, when they scored just two goals in three games, as well as being shut out in back-to-back season-ending losses to rival Andover and Catholic Memorial.

9. Hingham (13-7-2)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 6

Goal Differential: +40

Why they’re in this spot: Let’s kick off this pick with a preamble.

I’m a devotee of the Showtime drama “Dexter”. For those of you who need an introduction, the main fulcrum on which the story of protagonist Dexter Morgan – a forensics examiner for Miami Metro homicide who is himself a serial killer – works is something he describes as his “Code.” To that notion, I’m going to go ahead and break my own “Code” while making this final bold selection for the Super 8 field. There is nothing that should lead me to pick the Harbormen ahead of their South Shore rivals from Duxbury. The Dragons hold advantages in all the key categories: record, RPI, goal differential and, perhaps most importantly, the marquee win category. Hingham’s stunning lack of a true marquee win against a Super 8-ready team is implausible. Meanwhile, Duxbury can point to an early win against Xaverian. But in truth, the teams are quite even; we witnessed as much in the Cape Cod Classic when the teams played to a 1-1 tie (in the eyes of the MIAA), although the Dragons claimed a victory in the shootout (for tournament purposes only).

So why Hingham? Well, like many of the passion plays told through the eyes of Dexter’s extreme form of Code of Hammurabi justice, I’m going with instinct, or what you might call gut feeling (for those who believe in such things). I’m ignoring what is logical and going with what I’ve witnessed. In not so many words, Hingham should be in. This pick isn’t who could be here, or who will be here – again, I’m breaking my self-imposed code. Perhaps I’m playing into history. After all, the Hingham hockey name carries weight, as does Duxbury for that matter. I think we’ve seen in recent years who the ghost of Super 8 Past can influence things at the table (Needham last year, anyone?). And so I’m breaking my code. I think that Saturday’s tournament selection meeting will play out with a Hingham vs. Duxbury quandary as its focal point – a la last year’s Marshfield vs. St. John’s (Shrewsbury) predicament.

The question now remains whether the selection committee will break its own “code.”

10. Malden Catholic (11-6-3)

Seeding in Version 1.0 Projection: 10

Goal Differential: +20

Why they’re in this spot: A tenth-seed in title only. You can make the case for the Lancers to move into the Top 6 after handing Springfield Cathedral its only loss of the season in their season finale. My take is coming from the perspective that a team’s entire resume should be considered. Also, points in the Catholic Conference should count for something, with Catholic Memorial finishing third in the league standings; I’m going to go with the Lancers as the final representative from the MIAA’s toughest hockey league. Of the teams that precede them in the play-in games, they’re the only shoo-in. Added benefit for hockey watcher’s everywhere: how about a Prep vs. MC first-round matchup in a three-game series? Not too shabby.

Andover High student Kelsey Stevens produced this video of the Golden Warriors' fan section doing its own version of the "Harlem Shake" craze at halftime of tonight's regular season finale against archrival Central Catholic. Andover senior Adam Weisman, who runs the fan section's Twitter account, led the way.

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Outside the locker room at North Andover High's field house, where the No. 5 Scarlet Knights had just strung together a nice 73-50 defeat of border rival No. 11 Andover, coach Mike McVeigh was told by a reporter the stat line for senior Chris Bardwell, and he couldn't believe it.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," he muttered.

A few moments later, Bardwell appeared from the locker room, and McVeigh turned to him to ask: "Thirty-four, are you kidding me?"

"Wasn't keeping track," Bardwell grinned.

To which McVeigh quickly shot back, chuckling, "Yeah, you better not be."

It was a career-high and career-defining night for the 6-foot-5 senior, who transferred into NA from Central Catholic for his senior season and made his impact felt almost immediately. Tonight's effort -- 34 points, 14 rebounds, and a pair of pretty assists -- rectified that impact.

Good players know how to get to the rim, and Bardwell did exactly that in the first half, starting off 8-of-9 from the field and finishing shooting 66.6 percent from the floor (14-of-21), mostly coming on high-percentage bunnies around the rim or put-backs. Though there were some dazzling plays, like the one-handed underhand finish off a long Derek Collins lob in transition in the second quarter; or getting his own put-back off his own missed free throw; or one of the more good-karma put-backs of his season, positioning himself at the foul line for a long rebound and hucking it back at the rim one-handed.

But mostly, it was about finding open space in the paint and making the most of it -- "Our mentality was just to go all out," he said.

And all of that keeps NA (14-2, 13-1) in the hunt for the Merrimack Valley Conference's Large division title, in the Knights' first year of league membership. Headed into Tuesday's matchup with Central Catholic (14-3, 11-1), the two teams are tied for first, with one loss each in the league (Central to NA on Jan. 29, NA to Andover on Jan. 18).

"I didn't want to lose," Bardwell said. "I know on the line [tonight] was the MVC title. I know us coming into the MVC in our first year and winning the MVC title [would be] outrageous. It's never happened before, a team coming in and winning, so...I was just ready to play. We were all ready to play. We played smart. We were just awesome as a team, everything."

Leading 35-26 at the half, the Knights came out firing on all cylinders from long distance to start the third, outscoring the Golden Warriors (12-5) by a wide margin, 24-8. That included five 3-pointers, including a back-to-back-to-back swing by Derek Collins (11 points) and Brett Daley that put the Knights up 50-31 with 2:42 to go in the frame.

Also helping the cause was a dominant presence on the boards. Just as they were in last week's historic upset of Central Catholic, the Knights were everywhere on rebounds. With margin for error, the Knights unofficially held a 42-16 advantage on rebounds, including a 17-2 edge in the second quarter, thanks to the presence of St. Anselm-bound 6-foot-5 senior Isaiah Nelsen (14 points, 10 rebounds).

That's quite the turnaround from the previous two meetings this year. In their first meeting on Dec. 20, in the first round of the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament, the Warriors prevailed 76-63 in overtime. The second time around, on Jan. 18, Andover won 64-52 in regulation.

"There's nothing ever easy about Andover," McVeigh said. "We can't do anything about the first two, all we could do is try to grab one of the three, and that's what the kids did."

Andover was led in scoring by senior Chris Dunn (14 points), who started with three 3-pointers to open the first quarter. The Warriors also got 10 points from Jack Konevich, and nine each from Sam Dowden and David Giribaldi.

Lob City Lite: Late in the third quarter, NA junior forward Casey Walsh heaved up an alley-oop pass from the left wing that found Bardwell on the weak-side post, running for a dramatic lay-in and drawing a foul in the process for a three-point play. McVeigh turned to a reporter seated near the scorer's table and cracked, "You're smiling, but I'm not."

It's not McVeigh's preferred method, but tonight the Knights excelled at the lob, mostly when used as an outlet pass to trigger a fast break. The game opened with a breakaway two-handed slam from Nelsen, firing up the home crowd. In the first 4:20 of the game, the Knights scored three times off deep lobs in the fast break, with either Nelsen or Bardwell crashing down the lane for an easy layup.

"I'm telling you, we're a fast break team," Bardwell said. "They were running a 1-3-1...We'd just bring it up, pass middle, pass to the side, and they just found me. It worked beautifully."

Sentimental visit: Bardwell's visit Tuesday night to Central Catholic's famed Memorial Gymnasium will be his first since he last suited up for the Raiders a year ago. Bardwell had nothing but good things to say about Central, and credits coach Rick Nault (who was in attendance tonight) for helping his development as a rebounder.

But make no mistake, Tuesday night is going to be a big night not just for Bardwell, but for the NA program itself. On Jan. 29, the Knights upset Central in dramatic fashion, rallying from an 18-point deficit midway through the third quarter to earn the program's first win over the Raiders since 1986. Another win over Central on Tuesday would sweep the season series, and put the Knights in pole position for the MVC Large title -- a spot few predicted coming into the season for the Knights, in their first year since moving from the Cape Ann League.

"I'm coming into that game roaring," Bardwell said. "It's going to be unbelievable. We're all pumped up. I'm going to come in with the same enthusiasm I came into with this game, and it's going to be awesome. It's going to be probably the best experience of my life. And we're ready."

And the expected capacity crowd? Bardwell thinks, "It's gonna be insane."

Does he expect that crowd to be riding him?

"All game," he laughed. "I was talking to this kid, he said they've already got chants ready. They're gonna rock."

Andover wide receiver and defensive back Will Heikkinen has committed to Brown Univeristy. And while the Ivy League does not recognize National Letters of Intent, the Golden Warriors held a ceremony on Wednesday for Heikkinen and quarterback C.J. Scarpa, who has a preferred walk-on spot at Elon University.

Heikkinen, a 6-foot-1, 196-pound wideout, joins a long list of former Andover greats to suit up for the Bears, most recently including former teammate and current Brown freshman Andrew Coke.

“Obviously, there’s a great connection there, going all the way back with Coach [E.J.] Perry’s brother, the Farnhams, and Andy [Coke],” Heikkinen said Wednesday. “It’s a just a great fit.

Heikkinen teamed with Scarpa to tally 72 receptions for more than 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns while being named to the ESPN Boston All-State First Team. On defense, he also pocketed six interceptions.

He will play wide receiver at Brown and received interest from Harvard and Princeton in addition to several Northeast-10 schools.

Heikkinen emphasized the importance of his quarterback in his accomplishments and hinted at a possible future connection.

“He really made me the player I am and vice versa,” he said of Scarpa. “Our chemistry’s been great the last couple year and especially this year once he took over [at quarterback]. I hope everything works out for him, but I told him that I’m still going to try to convince him to transfer to Brown.”

ANDOVER, Mass. -- It happened again.

No. 11 Lowell came from behind to beat No. 8 Andover when the two teams met Jan. 4. The same thing happened Friday, this time by outscoring the home team 27-15 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 61-54 victory in a hotly contested Merrimack Valley Conference contest.

Lowell (14-2) started out awfully sluggish in the first quarter, stuck with only three points for the first six-plus minutes. Luckily for the Red Raiders, Andover (11-4) had difficulty adjusting to the various zone schemes Lowell threw at it, and ended the quarter up only 13-6.

“I thought the ball was sticking in our hands, and everything was on the perimeter,” said Lowell coach Scott Boyle. “So we weren’t moving the ball, we were shooting on the perimeter, and we were only getting one type of shot ourselves, and they weren’t quality shots. We just tried to tell the kids let’s get to the basket, let’s move the ball, look inside, get to the rim, and things started to turn for us in the second quarter.”

Things did start to turn around for Lowell in the second. While the three wasn’t exactly falling as much as it would have liked it to, its defensive pressure started creating turnovers at the other end of the floor, which brought transition opportunities and free throws as other ways to create points while its shots were not falling.

Throughout the game, Lowell threw varying defensive pressures at Andover, just like it did when they played four weeks ago. A combination of 2-3 zone and 2-1-2 zone looks forced Andover to swing the ball around the perimeter, when it wanted to go inside to Sam Dowden (10 points, three rebounds) and attack the basket.

“In practice, we think about games in the past that we played against them,” said Lowell guard Jonathan Perez (21 points, nine rebounds). “Every year, we play against (Andover coach Dave) Fazio, and we know his system a lot, so in practice, we know what he’s going to do against our zone, or what plays he’s going to run against our man defense.”

Lowell took its first lead midway through the third quarter, but Andover took it right back with defensive pressure of its own. It switched from a man-to-man full-court press to a 1-2-1-1 full court press, which was designed to force the Raiders to make bad decisions by dribbling into traps at different points on the floor.

The Raiders started the fourth quarter down by five, but eventually took a double-digit lead against a team that just couldn’t seem to keep up anymore. It left the coaching staff and home crowd flummoxed as to how the game could get away like that.

“I think we just made some horrific decisions with the ball,” said Fazio. “I don’t know. When it’s raining like that and you want to call a timeout and only have 60 seconds to fix the situation, I don’t know. They got us. They got us. Plain and simple.”

From Downtown: As was the case in the teams’ first meeting, the important theme that came out of Friday’s game was outside shooting. Because Andover isn’t the tallest team in Division 1, it relies on its jump shooters to put points on the board. When those shots aren’t falling or they are being contested, life can can sometimes get difficult for the Golden Warriors.

That happened at times Friday. They were shooting well to start and ended the first quarter with a 13-6 lead. In the second, as those shots became more contested and the shooters got cold, Lowell was able to corral rebounds and start the ball back the other way for scoring opportunities. Because of that, the two teams went into the half tied.

In the fourth and deciding quarter, Andover struggled to get a consistent flow offensively. Over a four-minute stretch in the middle of the quarter, Lowell went on a 13-2 run to give itself an 11-point lead with a minute and a half to go. From there, Andover was forced into long-range shots to make up the deficit, and Lowell knew it. This lead to a lot of rushed shots, missed opportunities, and an emphatic Drew Healy dunk to cap off the victory.

“We held them to one shot (in the fourth), and they were contested shots,” said Boyle. “When we can do that, hold a team to contested shots, we can get out and run. We got up the floor. So it was nice to see. We did a few good things there.”

Andover coach Dave Fazio was flummoxed after the game as to how his team could surrender another lead to the same team, merely weeks later.

“They distracted us, for whatever reason, on offense,” he said. “Our turnovers are so loud, that they’re getting run-outs with those turnovers. Now, not only are we not getting a shot, but they’re getting a transition basket and we’re fouling and putting them on the foul line. We were up seven in the fourth. I’m frazzled, I’m totally frazzled.”

Perez shines: Lowell got a standout performance Friday from Jonathan Perez. While the senior guard is not the tallest player on the floor (he’s listed at 6-foot), he plays much bigger than he is. Occasionally this season, his team has gone with a smaller lineup because of either injuries or the big men have been in early foul trouble, which forced him into an unconventional power forward role. The senior is not afraid to get physical under the basket, and will go up against an opposing team’s taller players if necessary.

“Coach is always pushing me in practice,” he said. “The past four years, he is always on me about rebounding and playing on the defensive end, so I have to step up as a captain of the team and do all the little things to win the game.”

Friday, with 6-foot-7 Drew Healy starting the game on the bench while coming back from an injury, Perez had to be a force on the offensive and defensive glass for his team, and he was throughout the game.

He finished the game one rebound short of a double-double (21 points, nine rebounds).

“Before in the past, it was scoring (with Perez),” said Boyle. “Tonight he probably lead our team in rebounding. He drove and got to the rim, he scored, he got 50-50 balls. He’s become a well-rounded player. In the past, he wasn’t that guy, but I think he has been from Day 1 this year. He’s very well-rounded and takes pride in those other parts of his game.”

In a mass email to the Boston area media tonight, John McVeigh confirmed his resignation as head girls' lacrosse coach at Andover High, retroactive to November.

McVeigh cited increasing amounts of work load and family commitments, outside the girls' lacrosse world, for his departure from the program. McVeigh is also the head boys' basketball coach at the North Andover-based Brooks School, which competes in the ISL; when Brooks' season is done, he can be spotted on the sideline helping out his father, long-time North Andover head boys basketball coach Mike McVeigh.

Under John McVeigh, the Golden Warriors have been one of the state's true powerhouses the last few years, producing All-Americans such as Ally Fazio and twins Anne and Kate Farnham. Andover went 20-4 last spring, falling to Lincoln-Sudbury in the Division 1 North Final.

Andover High is currently interviewing candidates to replace McVeigh. A new coach has not been named yet.

McVeigh released a statement to the area media regarding his departure, which is copied below:

I absolutely loved coaching at AHS. I had the chance to be there as an assistant coach on the first ever night of practice as a varsity team in 2001 (back when the head coach was new Boston University men's head coach Ryan Polley) and am very proud of how the program has grown over the past twelve years. Back then, we started off roaming the halls of AHS looking for kids who might be athletic or girls who had been cut from another spring sport to see if they would be willing to try lacrosse… and eventually AHS developed into one of the more successful programs in the state thanks to the girls' hard work and dedication. In my eight years as the varsity coach, we had some good success on the field and more importantly, the kids on the Andover team were even better people than they were players. They were a lot of fun to coach and I'm lucky to have had the chance to work with such great kids.

Leaving this position is not easy. During my time coaching at Andover, though, a lot has changed in my life off the field: When I was started there, I was single, teaching science at AHS, and had a ton of free time. I now work at a different school, have a wife and two young kids, and coach varsity basketball all winter. In the past two years, my job at Brooks has changed to include significantly more travel and work outside of the normal work day and a good amount of it happens in the spring. All combined, it was just not sustainable, especially if I wanted to be the kind of father that I want to be to Jack and Kelly. The schedules simply didn't work together. I missed too many things last spring and it was just the right time for this move. Coaching one varsity sport is enough for me right now. The single hardest part is leaving this coming year's AHS team: it's a fantastic group of kids and players and whoever gets to coach them will be very lucky. I'll miss it tremendously but I'm also sure it's the right decision for me at this point.

I'm sure I'll be back on the lacrosse sidelines at some point down the road, even if it's just coaching Kelly's youth team. I'm thankful to all our former players, coaches, parents, and all the folks at Andover HS that made it so enjoyable and appreciate all of the coverage that our team and players have received over the years from you folks. It's been a great ride and I'll definitely miss it.

At the midpoint of the MIAA basketball season, we've asked our panel of experts to submit their picks for ESPN Boston All-State, as well as Mr. and Miss Basketball along with a number of superlatives:

***

Brendan Hall
ESPN Boston High Schools Editor

All-State Super Team
G – Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
G – Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
G – Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G/F – Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central
F/C – Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland

Second Team
G – Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G – Nick McKenna, Sr., Danvers
F – Nick Cambio, Jr., Central Catholic
F – Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
F – Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover

Third Team
G – Riyadh Asad, Sr., West Springfield
G – Juwan Gooding, Soph., New Mission
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
C - Dakari Wornum, Sr., Dorchester
C – Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Jr., Newton North
G - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
F - Caitlyn Abela, Sr., Oliver Ames
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball Finalists
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic – WINNER
Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland
Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central

Defensive Player of the Year – Drew Healy, Lowell
Coach of the Year – John Walsh, Danvers
Best Shooter – Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest surprise (player) – Dakari Wornum, Dorchester
Biggest surprise (team) – St. Peter-Marian
Most underrated (player) – David Stewart, Madison Park
Most underrated (team) – Melrose

All-Defensive
G – Tyree Weston, Soph., New Bedford
G – Marcus Middleton, Sr., Stoughton
F – Isshiah Coleman, Sr., New Mission
F – Prince Unaegbu, Sr., Brighton
C – Drew Healy, Sr., Lowell

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Tommy Mobley, Soph., Newton North
Daivon Edwards, Sr., Brighton
Giulien Smith, Soph., Catholic Memorial
Ben Judson, Soph., St. John's Prep

Second half sleepers to watch

Dorchester
The Bears are a streaky team, but also a gritty one, as shown in their 58-57 loss to East Boston on Wednesday. Dakari Wornum has been one of the breakout stars of the first half of the season, but a number of athletic shooters -- including Jeduan Langston, Khalil Newson, Ceejae Agnew-Carter and Dean Lee -- can make this team explode at any moment. The expected return of 6-foot-7 junior D'Bryant Coraprez should bolser the frontcourt too.

Sharon
We knew junior point guard Brian Mukasa (18.8 points per game) was good, and we though he had potential to be this good, but we had questions about the Eagles' supporting cast. Jimmy Fritzon (14.2 points per game) has some answers.

Waltham
Hawks are my favorite to win the Dual County League's Large division, in a year of parity across the board. Keep an eye on Mike Gelineau, one of the area's more underrated shooters.

Case
Most expected Wareham to run away with the South Coast Conference (again), but guess who's sitting at 11-2 and 8-1 in the league? The Cardinals are allowing a league-best 46 points per game, and face Wareham on Wednesday for a first-place battle in the SCC. Keep an eye on 6-foot-8 senior center Matt Plante.

***

Chris Bradley
ESPN Boston correspondent

All-State Super Team
G - Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
F - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
F - Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central
C - Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland

Second Team
G - Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G - Riyadh Asad, Sr., West Springfield
F - Nick Simpson, Sr., Brighton
F - Nick Cambio, Sr., Central Catholic
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield

Third Team
G - Nick McKenna, Sr., Danvers
G - Rod Milton, Sr., Worcester South
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
F - Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover
C - Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Kayla Burton, Sr., Newton South
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
G/F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
F - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball Finalists
Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic - WINNER
Darien Fernandez, Wareham
Jameilen Jones, BC High
Tyler Gibson, Rockland
Kamari Robinson, Springfield Central

Defensive Player of the Year - Isshiah Coleman, New Mission
Coach of the Year - Sean Connolly, St. John’s Prep
Best Shooter - Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest Surprise (Team) – Wachusett
Biggest Surprise (Player) – KayJuan Bynum, Springfield Putnam
Most Underrated (Player) – Sam Dowden, Andover
Most Underrated (Team) – Dorchester

All-Defensive
G - Marcus Middleton, Sr., Stoughton
G/F - Nate Anderson, Sr., New Mission
F - Isshiah Coleman, Sr., New Mission
C - Alex Cooper, Sr., Wachusett
C - Drew Healy, Sr., Lowell

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Tim Dufficy, Sr., Whitinsville Christian
Tommy Mobley, Soph., Newton North
Zack Berman, Sr., Wachusett
Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton

Second-half sleepers:

Andover
If Connor Merinder is back in time for the tournament, then consider Andover a favorite in Division 1 North. Central Catholic has clearly separated themselves from BC High, St. John’s Prep, Lowell, and Andover so far, but if Andover gets a healthy, productive Merinder back, they will make a run to the Division 1 North final. The Golden Warriors have gone 10-2 thus far without the 6-foot-5 forward, who is considered one of the MIAA’s best in a loaded 2015 class. Sam Dowden has done a great job of leading Andover so far, but getting a healthy Merinder makes them a legitimate contender to be at the DCU Center come March.

Worcester South
South became the first team to finally knock off previously undefeated Wachusett in Central Mass. The Cononels, who with the win moved to 8-2, did so without junior point guard Kasheen Cunningham, one of the area’s best outside shooters. South has the best scorer in Central Mass. in Rod Milton, a strong young big man in Khalil Bryan-Robinson, and a constant threat from outside in Cunningham—with Central Mass. Division 1 as up in the air as it has been in years, look for South to make a run to the Division 1 finals at WPI.

***

Ryan Kilian
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Mass. Prep Stars (www.massprepstars.com)

Boys Super Team
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
G - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G - Malik James, Jr., Brighton
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
C - Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
G/F - Alana Gilmer, Soph., Archbishop Williams
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic

Miss Basketball
Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading

Defensive Player of the Year
Boys: Kendall Hamilton, Sr., Wakefield
Girls: Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Jr., Newton North

Coach of the Year
Boys: Mike Kasprzak, Melrose
Girls: John McNamara, Pentucket

Best Shooter
Boys: Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Girls: Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover

Biggest Surprise
Boys: Frantzdy Pierrot, Jr., Melrose
Girls: Molly Bent, Soph., Barnstable

Most Underrated Player
Boys: Doug Gemmell, Sr., Central Catholic
Girls: Tess Noguiera, Sr., Pentucket

Most Underrated Team
Boys: Melrose
Girls: Ipswich

Second Half Sleepers

Boys: Wakefield – They have been hanging in the wings with a few losses and have battled some injuries but with a healthy Bruce Brown and continued improved play of Kendall Hamilton, Mikol Blake-Green and others they should be back in the title hunt by the end of the regular season.

Girls: Westford Academy – Westford Academy has played a very difficult schedule, losing to Bishop Feehan, Wachusett and Billerica by a combined five points. They have wins over Lincoln-Sudbury and Arlington Catholic as resume boosters and can play with any team in the state. Juniors Sam Hyslip and Hannah Hackley lead the Grey Ghosts in most statistical categories.

***

Rob Sarmiento
Founder and Editor, Beantown Hoops (www.beantownhoops.com)

First Team
G - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G - Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
F - Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland
F - Doug Gemmell, Sr., Central Catholic

Second Team
G - Jaleel Bell, Sr., Wayland
G - Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G - Malik James, Jr., Brighton
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
F - Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover

Third Team
G - Giulien Smith, Soph., Catholic Memorial
G - Juwan Gooding, Soph., New Mission
G/F - Bruce Brown, Soph., Wakefield
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
F - Nate Anderson, Sr., New Mission

Girls Super Team
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
G/F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
G/F - Molly Bent, Soph., Barnstable
G/F - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
F - Sarah Hope, Sr., Medway

Mr. Basketball - Jameilen Jones, BC High
Miss Basketball - Olivia Healy, Reading
Coach of the Year - Mark Antonelli, Somerville
Best Shooter - Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest Surprise (player) - Molly Bent, Barnstable (Girls)
Biggest Surprise (team) - North Reading
Most Underrated (player) - Jaleel Bell, Wayland
Most Underrated (team) - Melrose

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
Sam Bohmiller, Sr., Franklin
Tommy Mobely, Soph., Newton North
Mike Gelineau, Sr., Waltham

Second Half Sleepers

Boys: Franklin - Well-coached and playing in a tough conference will make them battle ready come playoff time. Plus, they have a player who can make threes in bunches with Bohmiller.

Girls: Arlington Catholic - Seem to always make a run and their style of play is tough to prepare for. They are young in some key positions, but first half of the season experience will show during the playoffs.

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 boys basketball poll this afternoon. To find the complete poll, CLICK HERE.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Poll does not reflect Monday's results)

Some notes and observations about this week's poll:

Debuts for Westford, Algonquin: Two teams make their debuts this week, in Westford Academy (24) and Algonquin (25). For the former it's the Grey Ghosts' first appearance of the 2012-13 season. For Algonquin, it's an historic first, the Tomahawks' first foray into the Top 25 in our poll's three-year history. Stigmatized by a perceived weak schedule, the 8-0 Tomahawks had a dominant showing on Friday against a quality Fitchburg squad, winning by 20 points. They're also speared by a breakout campaign by 6-foot-6 sophomore post player A.J. Brodeur, who is one of Central Mass.'s leading scorers with 17 points per game.

City loses another squad: Hard to believe just a month ago, there were six Boston City League teams in the poll, following Dorchester's surprise upset of Madison Park. Both those teams quickly fell out in the ensuing weeks, and now Charlestown joins them on the list of teams dropping out. It was a less than inspiring week for the Townies, who barely skirted by Latin Academy, then finished the week out with losses to West Roxbury (56-50) and St. Peter-Marian (74-66).

New Mission (2), Brighton (12) and East Boston (15) are the three Boston City League teams representing this week.

Historic week for St. Peter-Marian: In a week that few saw coming, St. Peter-Marian knocked off Catholic Memorial, St. John's of Shrewsbury and Charlestown in a span of six days. For that effort, the Guardians shot up the poll, from No. 25 to No. 14, this week. How long that lasts, however, remains to be seen. The Guardians took one on the chin tonight from unranked Whitinsville Christian, 64-49. The Crusaders themselves sit on the outside looking in, getting notice in the "Last 10 out" section this week.

MVC dominance: For the first time this season, all four of the Merrimack Valley Conference teams in the poll sit in the Top 10. Central Catholic remains No. 1 for the third straight week, followed by Andover (7), North Andover (9) and Lowell (10), the latter of which dropped eight spots following an upset by North Andover on Friday.

Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:

Merrimack Valley - 4
Boston City League - 3
Catholic Conference - 3
Central Mass. Conference - 2
Hockomock - 2
Mid-Wach A - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Big Three - 1
Dual County - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1

With the majority of teams about a third of the way through their regular season schedule, we reflect on individuals who have stepped up for their team when the lights are bright, underclassmen who have exceeded expectations, and breakout players to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. Included also are comments from opposing MIAA coaches, on the condition of confidentiality.

***

REASSERTING THEIR TALENT

Nate Anderson, 6-7 Sr. F, New Mission
Anderson’s improvement has been well documented this year, especially in his rebounding and effort on the defensive end of the floor. New Mission lacked floor leadership last year, as seen with their early bounce from the Division 2 North tournament, but Anderson has stepped up in a big way this year for the Titans, who have perhaps the toughest schedule in all of MIAA hoops. How far supremely-talented New Mission goes in this tournament this year will ride largely on the shoulders of their senior forward.
Opposing coach’s take: “I always thought Nate was talented and wondered why he never played more. He’s about 6-6, 6-7, which is a center at this level, but he handles the ball and is mobile like a guard. Now that he is a senior and he has become older, more experienced, and is coming out of his shell, I think he has the potential to be dominant.”

Sam Dowden, 6-5 Sr. F, Andover
Expectations were high for Andover coming into this season, with several veteran guards back and one of the area’s more formidable frontcourt duos in Dowden and sophomore Connor Merinder. Merinder has been out of action since mid-December with a wrist injury, and since then Dowden has stepped up in a big way for the Golden Warriors. Andover sits at 5-2, with their only losses coming by a point to top-ranked Central Catholic and by ten to second-ranked Lowell. Dowden has led them in scoring and rebounding thus far, but he and the Warriors have their toughest challenges ahead of them with four MVC teams ranked in the top 15.
Opposing coach’s take: “A matchup nightmare because he can post up against smaller players and is extremely skilled on the perimeter when you try to match up with a bigger player on him. Sam never seems to get rattled or take bad shots during a game. Plays the game the right way and is always a class act on and off the court.”

Tyler Nelson, 6-2 Jr. G, Central Catholic
Nelson is the most dangerous shooter in the state, undoubted and no questions asked, but what has made him stand out so far this year is how versatile he has become. Playing AAU this summer with BABC, Nelson had a significant opportunity to improve his ball handling, his ability to run an offense, and his defensive reliability. At the end of last season Nelson’s name was always came accompanied by remarks about his shooting ability, but he has become one of the better all-around scorers in the area and a reliable floor leader for Coach Rick Nault.
Opposing coach’s take: “I think he's very crafty. I think that he has high IQ. You cannot relax at any time, because he'll knock down three's. If you over-close on him, he's crafty enough to take that extra dribble and get by you and make a play for somebody else or use his pull-up. So that's what I'd say, very crafty, intelligent, high IQ, smart basketball player.”

Derek Collins, 6-1 Sr. G, North Andover
Yes, another sniper from the Merrimack Valley. Collins came back and is having a solid year for the Scarlet Knights after missing the majority of last season with a back injury. North Andover is one of the best teams in Division 2 this year, currently sitting at No. 14 in ESPNBoston.com's poll, and while their strongpoint is in their frontcourt with Isaiah Nelsen and Chris Bardwell, Collins prevents other teams to be able to double down on Nelsen and Bardwell very often because that would leave the sharpshooting Collins open in his favorite part of the floor.
Opposing coach’s take: “Extremely confident player who can take over the game at any point. Derek has learned how to move without the ball which makes him a much more dangerous offensive player. As a 6-2 guard Derek is much bigger and stronger than most guards he matches up with so he is able to to use his size and strength to score in the paint.”

Riyadh Asad, 6-1 Sr. G, West Springfield
Springfield Central got a lot of the pre-season hype following their 24-1 state championship season, starting this season at No. 1 in our preseason poll. However, West Side has emerged in the opening weeks of the season as the potential favorite in Western Mass. Division 1, and Asad is a big reason why. He’s averaging just over 21 points per game and has shown to be one of the best guards in Western Mass. With Central looking particularly unreliable early on, we could be in for an adventure in Western Mass the rest of the way, and if Asad can keep up with his high-scoring efficiency, West Springfield is a team to keep an eye on from here on out.
Opposing coach’s take: “Asad is one of the more talented players in western Mass. His ability to create and make shots is what stood out to me. He's also been working on his off ball movement ( using screens, cutting hard. etc) which will carry over well for him at the next level. Preparing for him you have to tell your team to be prepared at all times because he loves to shoot!”

Brendan Hill, 6-5 Soph. F, Mansfield
Mansfield is one of the favorites to take Division 1 South, and Hill is a big reason why. Also a football star, Hill’s strong hands, crafty footwork, and innate competitiveness have translated to the basketball court this winter season, as perhaps the most reliable player on one of the best teams in the state. Hill got minutes last year as a freshman, but really broke out this summer playing for BABC, where he was able to work on his post moves and improve his outside shot.
Opposing coach’s take: “Brendan Hill is the most unselfish player in the MIAA. I don't know what kid comes off a summer playing with BABC and doesn't demand the ball every possession. He's a raw Pat Connaughton without the athleticism. He can stretch you, suck the help in and make the right kick out almost all the time. He can dominate offensively but has to get stronger to absorb the banging he will have to take in the Hock league.”

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FRESH ON THE SCENE

Kareem Davis, 5-8 Soph. G, Lowell
Like any sophomore, he needs to continue to hit the weights so that he doesn’t get pushed around by stronger guards, but Davis has proven to be one of the state’s best young point guards. Lowell sits as the second-ranked team in the state right now, with a showdown on Jan. 18 with top-ranked Central Catholic coming up quickly. Going up against one of the state’s best guards in that game in Tyler Nelson, we’ll soon see how for real Davis is.
Opposing coach’s take: “Kareem is an excellent ballhandler who sees the floor well. He has complete confidence in his abilities and isn't afraid of anything. What makes him hard to cover is that not only does he push the ball up the floor so quickly, but he can also shoot.”

Adham Floyd, 6-1 Fr. G, St. John's (Shrewsbury)
In going through the top 25 poll, there are few freshmen, if any, who are bringing more to their team right now than Floyd; through six games, he is the Pioneers’ second-leading scorer with 9 points per game. With senior captain Ken Harrington out injured for the near future, St. John’s will somehow need to make up for that productivity in the backcourt – the crafty freshman will take his lumps, but he’ll be better for it in the Division 1 tournament, where the Pioneers are infamous for out-executing their opponents.
Opposing coach’s take: “Adham is a very talented young man who works hard on his game. He has a very good skill set. He can handle the ball with both hands, he rebounds well and is not afraid to take the big shot. He also plays with poise beyond his years...He is going to be a handful for years to come.”

Ben Judson, 6-4 Soph. F, St. John's Prep
Judson’s coming-out party was Friday night against BC High, where the sharpshooting sophomore led the Prep with 20 points on their way to their most important win of the season -– he had five threes. This St. John’s Prep team has bought into Coach Sean Connolly’s system and has no problem scrapping on defense; if Judson can continue his standout scoring performances, this team is a legitimate contender to knock off Central Catholic in Division 1 North.
Opposing coaches’ take: “He really didn’t get a lot of time last year, they had a lot of older guys and he had to wait his turn. But already this year he has been one of the best shooters in the area. He’s big and long for a guard. If he gets bigger and improves off the dribble, we’re talking about a scholarship-level player.”

Giulien Smith, 6-1 Soph. G, Catholic Memorial
Smith has been the scorer that Catholic Memorial needed this season, especially after the Knights graduated two thousand-point scorers in Dan Powers and Matt Droney. The crafty left-hander has been one of the state’s biggest breakout stars thus far, scoring 21 against Lincoln-Sudbury, 16 against Rhode Island power St. Raphael’s, and exploding for 28 points in a win over Bay State Conference favorite Newton North. The Knights have emerged as a legitimate top 10 team behind Smith, and have the potential to stay in the top 10 from here on out if their high-scoring sophomore can keep up his effort.
Opposing coach’s take: “He’s a terrific player, and is really, really smooth. He shoots it, handles it, gets to the basket, has great poise and a pretty good tempo to he’s game. I think he’s got a big upside.”

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PLEASANT SURPRISES

Allijah Robinson, 6-7 Jr. F, Charlestown
He’s bounced around high schools, but it appears that Robinson has found his niche and is becoming quite the on-court leader at Charlestown. With forward Freddy Oliviera playing the post, Robinson has had the opportunity to play his more natural position on the wing -– where he can create his own shot and beat defenders to the rim off the dribble.
Opposing coach’s take: “At 6-foot-7, Alijah Robinson is clearly a matchup problem for any opponent in the state. I was impressed by his nice shooting stroke. Once he beefs up a little more and bangs inside more, he will be even more of a force than he already is.”

Charles Collins, 6-0 Sr. G, BC High
On most other teams in the state, Collins would be a star. The Eagles have their scorer in Jameilen Jones, but so far Collins has been the perfect complement to his good friend and backcourt mate. His outside jumper needs improving, but Collins has been a floor general for BC High at point guard, often showing to be an extension of Coach Bill Loughnane on the floor. Because of his high basketball IQ, matched with his gifted athleticism, he is one of the more college-ready prospects in the state.
Opposing coach’s take: “Charles Collins is a consistent jump shot away from being the MIAA’s most versatile player. He can beat you many ways off the drive as well. He is a coaches’ point guard because he can not only put offensive pressure on another team, defensively he can take an opposing teams’ point guard completely out of his game.”

Drew Healy, 6-7 Sr. C, Lowell
Healy can block shots, hit the mid-range jumper, he rebounds at a high rate, and he runs the floor like a deer. Lowell has one of the most talented assortment of guards in the state, and Healy’s low post skills make it difficult for opposing defenses to focus on one or two players. Veteran guards always win ballgames in the MIAA, but when thrown together with a 6-foot-7 big man with standout upper body strength, this Lowell team has state title potential written all over it.
Opposing coach’s take: “Drew is interesting because he is nowhere near Lowell's top option. He played limited minutes in the Greater Lowell Holiday Tournament, but is very effective when he is on the court. He rebounds well and blocks shots well. He would score much more if Lowell focused on him in the paint and got him the ball. I understand why -- Jonathan Perez and the other Kareem Davis are the focus of the team.”

Alex Cooper, 6-6 Sr. C, Wachusett
If you’re Central Mass. team trying to earn respect, the one and only way to do that is to beat St. John’s, and behind Cooper, the Mountaineers did just that, knocking off the Pioneers last week at the Laska Invitational. Cooper’s game isn’t always pretty, but he seems to have a knack for getting it done when Wachusett needs him the most, getting double digits in both points and rebounds in wins over St. John’s and Doherty. Wachusett shot up the polls to No. 8 after beating the Pioneers, but they have plenty of challenges ahead, with Algonquin, Worcester South, Brockton, St. John’s, BC High, and Cambridge still on their regular season schedule.
Opposing coach’s take: “He doesn't get outworked. For what he lacks in skill, he makes up for in hustle, and he leads by example.”

Dakari Hannahwornum, 6-7 Sr. F, Dorchester
26 points and 28 rebounds. Yes, you read that correctly, Dorchester’s standout big man put up 26 and 28 when they beat previously-ranked Madison Park on Dec. 21. Hannahwornum can be an X-factor for the Bears in their run to a Division 2 South title, especially with his ability to take over games from the low block and overpower teams on the glass. Dorchester has been the breakout team in the Boston City League this year, and behind their skilled big man, they have the talent to be in a game with any given team in the state on any given night.
Opposing coach’s take: “He’s raw but has good potential, he needs to go to a juco or a D2 [college] where they can work with him year round. He erases a lot of defensive mistakes by tossing shots away from the rim.”

LOWELL, Mass. -- If the Merrimack Valley Conference basketball season is anything like it was during football season, it will be a fight to the finish.

That was exemplified Friday night, when No. 2 Lowell beat No. 11 Andover 50-40 in a defensive slugfest.

Lowell came out sluggish in the first quarter, failing to score a basket for the first 5:30 of the game. Part of that was due to the early play, or lack thereof, of its center Drew Healy (12 points, seven rebounds). He was having difficulty holding on to the basketball and finishing.

“I didn’t come out ready, my head wasn’t in the game,” he said. “I saw the energy and I saw the crowd, and I knew how the game was going to be and I had to react and come out and play like I usually do.”

Lowell (7-0) coach Scott Boyle removed Healy from the game in the middle of the quarter, hoping to light a spark under him. He was put back into the game, and the team’s play changed. Where he was getting boxed out and outmuscled by Andover’s Sam Dowden (10 points, four rebounds) early on, it was Healy who started taking advantage of his positioning and asserting himself underneath.

In the second quarter, Lowell switched away from man-to-man concepts and went to a more traditional zone defense. It was great timing on their part as Andover’s shooters went cold. Lowell took care of the long rebounds and went out in transition and took a lead it would never relinquish.

Lowell took a 20-15 lead into halftime, but Andover (5-2) did not go quietly. Recognizing its need for points, coach Dave Fazio put in Jack Konevich, a left-handed long-range shooter to make some noise behind the three-point line. He hit two quality shots, and around the same time, Andover’s Chris Dunn started to get hot from three. Suddenly, Andover was only down 35-32 heading into the fourth.

The Lowell defense was just too much, however. With costly turnovers turned into transition baskets, including a last-minute dagger three-pointer by Kevin Brito (eight points), Lowell was able to secure the victory.

“It was kind of par for the course, it’s never going to be easy either way in our league,” said Boyle. “We finished the game tonight in the fourth quarter which is important to me, when it was still a back-and-forth game. I just thought they’re a real good team, they’re sound, and I thought it was a real good test for us. We played well on our home court, and you have to win on your home court.”

Flipping the switch: In the second quarter, Lowell switched to a zone defense and Andover could not take advantage. It was as though Lowell was daring the Golden Warriors to shoot from the outside, and it sure did. Andover went 1-for-12 from the field in the quarter.

Healy, mentally and physically in the game at this point after struggling early, consistently outmuscled and out-rebounded his counterpart Dowden, which prevented the possibility of any Andover second chance points. The Red Raiders went on a 9-0 run at the end of the half and go into the break up 20-15.

“They’re a well-coached team and they run great offensive sets,” said Boyle. “We wanted to try and get them out of rhythm. Tonight, it kind of worked for us, and that’s why you take a shot. They’re a great zone team as well, they can shoot the ball, and I thought because we have some length, we had the ability to play a little zone.”

Healy gave Dowden fits for most of the night. Dowden, at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, is used to being able to use his body effectively underneath the basket to create space and easy baskets. However, against the 6-foot-7 Healy and the tightly-packed Lowell zone, he struggled to find room to maneuver inside, and when he did, often had his shot contested or found himself in a tie-up situation with a swarming Lowell defender.

“Usually we’re just straight man D,” said Healy. “Coach wanted to mix it up tonight because of the matchup differences, and we’ve been working on it in practice the last couple weeks. They missed shots so we just had to box out and play tough.”

Andover’s Dunn (14 points) still hit four 3-pointers in the game, but it was never enough to close the gap on the scoreboard.

Round Two: Sunday, Lowell will have a rematch with New Bedford, a mere 16 days after the Red Raiders 54-point drubbing on its home court. Healy is not expecting it to be nearly as easy this time around.

“We came out and our shooters were on, they were hitting, Kevin (Brito) hit five three’s,” he said. “We just kept pushing it and pushing it, and then we won. This time we expect a bigger challenge, but we’re going to go into the game just like we did every other game. We’re going to go in there and fight, and the best man comes out winning.”