In her first game with Andover Girls Basketball, Post-Graduate Corina Lindsay ’17 sunk the team’s opening basket, a 3-pointer, to spark its offense. In the ensuing back-and-forth game, Andover, however, fell short against Choate in its season opener, losing 40-33. Its record now stands at 0-1.
Heading into its first game of the season, Andover hoped to start off strong and secure a victory against Choate. Offensively, Andover began the game strong and stuck with the more athletic Choate team.
Despite Andover still learning its new offensive system this season, the team was able to match Choate basket for basket in the first half. The team, however, still feels there is room for improvement on the offensive end.
Captain Emma Kelley ’17 said, “We have implemented a new offense this season. It requires constant speed and attention, but if practiced enough I know we can generate a lot of good opportunities off of it. The team chemistry required of this offense will come with time and practice.”
With the game close and in reach after the first half, Andover came out of halftime strong, looking to close the gap. By constantly keeping pressure on Choate, Andover was able to keep the score within reach.
Teagan Thompson ’18 said, “During the second half, we saw that it was a very close game and started to get tougher [mentally] because we knew that we could of definitely beat Choate.”
Choate’s rebounding advantage in the second half played a large role in Andover’s loss.
Thompson said, “In terms of height, Choate was not that much taller than us. No matter the height of the opposing team, our coaches really emphasizes the fact that everyone should be crashing the boards, getting rebounds and going into the post, even the shortest people on our team.”
Despite the loss, Andover’s defense shone throughout the game, applying constant pressure and limiting Choate to 40 points.
Assistant Coach Christopher Jones said, “[Our] defense was a real bright spot. We got caught in transition a couple times and we were winded at the end of the game, but overall we matched up well against a bigger team in Choate.”
Andover is still optimistic and has high hopes for the rest of the season after its first loss.
“We were facing some considerable challenges: We had some injuries, we had only practiced a couple days, and it’s always hard to travel such a long distance. Despite of all that, we played well,” said Coach Jones.
Kelley said, “I’m really excited for this season because, overall, we are a fast group. This speed will help us dominate on both ends of the court. Overall, I already feel a really positive and competitive team dynamic. Everyone is ready to work hard to reach our team goals, personal goals, and to win.”
Andover will travel to face Loomis Chaffee on Saturday in hopes of securing its first victory of the season.
Editor’s Note: Emma Kelley is a Features Editor for The Phillipian.
