On Saturday, the Andover Girls Varsity Basketball team hosted and beat Choate in an exciting 43-35 win. Andover also traveled to Tabor on Wednesday to face to the four-time Class A New England champions, losing with a score of 48-20. Against Choate, Andover began the game with intensity and vigilance, gaining a quick lead of 12-2. Andover continued to dominate the first half with great defense and hustle, and did an excellent job of possessing the ball. Andover did not let up, even as Choate began to gain some control of the game. With continual strong defense, Andover led at halftime with a score of 18-13. Choate came out in the second half strong and worked its way into the lead. Andover remained composed and as they fought to reestablish its dominance. As soon as Choate gained the lead, Kelly Fox ’08 nailed a three-pointer to put Andover back on top. Ball possession went back and forth, and each team fought for the lead. The two teams traded shots until Captain Jackie Price ’06 nailed the final three-pointer to put Andover up 29-26. Andover began to gain momentum and energy. Choate called a time out with 8:07 left in the game. This, however, did not break Andover’s momentum, as it continued to play tough defense and powerful offense. As Choate attempted to run an offensive play, Kara Hollis ’07 stole the ball, resulting in a shot from Captain Price to boost the score to 33-26. Captain Price was soon fouled and nailed two shots on the foul line The girls displayed great teamwork, as Captain Price and Fox worked together to make a thrilling defensive steal. Coach Lani Boardman noted “Our strengths lie in the team as a whole, and when we play together and are active from the bench, we are very good.” With 36 seconds left in the game, Andover called a time-out. The team maintained its lead and intensity, making Choate both messy and anxious. Choate fouled Andover, giving the girls more chances to score. Sarah Beattie ’07 and Captain Price both scored 2 more points on the foul line. The game ended with a well-earned score of 43-35. Captain Price and Beattie displayed versatility, leading the team in points and rebounds. The two scored 13 points each, and Fox had 11. The team showed great strength and tenacity, refusing to let Choate take the win. Wednesday’s game proved to be a bigger challenge, facing Tabor, an experienced and talented team. Andover began the game slowly due to the full-court pressure from Tabor. Andover was down 33-8 at half time and missed its first eleven attempts on goal. However, the girls did not give up, as the entered the second half much stronger and confident. Andover held Tabor to 15 points in the second half. The game ended with a final score of 48-20.
