The MIAA boys and girls basketball tournament is in full swing, with the matchups for the semifinal rounds in each division already set. Four local teams will be in action Wednesday night, including three teams from the city of Lynn.
Boys Division 1 North semifinal: No. 1 Lynn English vs. No. 12 Andover
The top-seeded Bulldogs (19-2) only needed one win to get into the semifinal round, and it came in the form of a 19-point win over No. 9 Lawrence last week. Alonzo Linton, who has led English all year, had a huge game with 28 points and 15 rebounds, while Jarnel Guzman added 21 points. Joaquin Crespo also had a big game with 17 points.
On the other side of the court will be Andover, who has had a much tougher path to the semifinal. The No. 12 Golden Warriors (14-8) had to notch two upset wins to get here, first against No. 5 Waltham and then against No. 4 Boston Latin in the quarterfinal. Perhaps the biggest advantage for Andover is the fact that it plays in the Merrimack Valley Conference, which is arguably one of the best conferences in the state. Of the four teams remaining in the Division 1 bracket, three of them (Andover, Central Catholic, Lowell) are from the MVC.
English and Andover will tip off Wednesday night (7) at St. John’s Prep.
Boys Division 3 North semifinal: No. 1 St. Mary’s vs. No. 12 Dracut
St. Mary’s faces a very similar situation as English in Division 3 North. The No. 1 Spartans (22-2) needed two wins to get to the semifinal, first beating No. 16 Saugus (74-56) and then taking down No. 8 Arlington Catholic in the quarterfinal. Jalen Echevarria has scored 36 total points in the two wins, while Ademide Badmus put up consecutive double-doubles. The Spartans will likely use their size and their depth to try to wear Dracut down.
The Spartans’ opponent, No. 12 Dracut (12-10), notched two upset wins over No. 5 Minuteman and No. 4 Newburyport. As a team out of the MVC, the Middies have faced difficult competition all year long and have proven they can go toe-to-toe with talented teams.
St. Mary’s and Dracut will tip off Wednesday night (7:30) at Wakefield High.
Boys Division 4 North semifinal: No. 2 KIPP vs. No. 3 Lowell Catholic
After earning a bye in the opening round of the Division 4 North tournament, the No. 2 KIPP Panthers notched their first MIAA tournament win in program history last week. KIPP (16-5) took down No. 10 Bishop Fenwick to make it into the semifinal, getting a very impressive performance from senior Abdoul Barry (21 points, 11 rebounds). Winfred Sanchez also played a solid game for the Panthers with 13 points and five rebounds.
Just like KIPP, No. 3 Lowell Catholic (16-5) earned a bye in the first round. The Crusaders then went on to beat No. 11 Georgetown in the quarterfinal round to earn a spot in Wednesday’s semifinal game.
KIPP and Lowell Catholic will tip off Wednesday night (7) at Woburn High.
Girls Division 3 North semifinal: No. 6 Lynnfield vs. No. 2 Amesbury
The No. 6 Pioneers (14-8) have truly made their presence felt so far in the Division 3 North tournament, earning blowout wins in their first two games. The first one came in the form of a 53-8 drubbing of No. 11 Charlestown, then Lynnfield followed that up with a big win over No. 3 Greater Lawrence (68-34) in the quarterfinal. Freshman Cate MacDonald has had a big impact for the Pioneers with a 21-point performance in the quarterfinal, while junior captain Melissa Morelli had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Lynnfield will go up against a higher seed for the second straight game, this time against No. 2 Amesbury (17-4). The Indians got a bye in the first round and then beat No. 10 Bedford to get into the semifinal game.
Lynnfield and Amesbury will tip off Wednesday night (7) at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.