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Sports

Five Players to Watch in Tonight's Semifinal Showdown

Go to the Division 1 North Semifinals tonight knowing who to watch for on the court.

Hoop fans galore will pack into the Methuen High School gym tonight as the Andover Golden Warriors and Central Catholic Red Raiders are set for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Before you watch tonight’s semifinal showdown, you should know the five players to watch on the floor.

1) – Andover #3 – If she is on her game tonight, Natalie will all but guarantee an Andover win. She is the catalyst for the Andover offense. Her ability to create her own offense in the paint gives coach Tildsley and the Warrior offense tons of options.

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Look for Gomez-Martinez to drive towards the hoop and make quick decisions. She will either head to the rim and go for layups or dish to one of her shooters. “I have shooters that can shoot. It makes it so much easier,” she said after her Warriors advanced to the semifinals. Ally Fazio, Nicole Boudreau, and Jackie Alois are among the sharpshooters who will be lurking around the three point line with open looks.

Going to the rim usually results in converted baskets or defensive fouls. Gomez-Martinez is a knock-down shooter from the charity stripe so if she gets her way down low, Central Catholic might be in trouble.

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2) Gabie Polce – Central Catholic #20 – Central’s captain is a huge reason why the Red Raiders have won 14 straight games coming into tonight’s semifinal bout. Polce came away with 19 points in the Red Raiders’ 68-46 thrashing of Masconomet that advanced them into the semifinals.

Polce, committed to Saint Rose College in New York, is a combination guard who both brings the ball up the floor and plays as a swingman, flying around picks for open looks.

Polce, 5-feet 7-inches, is a key part of Central Catholic’s offense which features a defensive press and fast break strategy. She will be expected to control the ball at high speeds and combat Andover defenders in the paint. If she is on her game, you will see Central Catholic creating turnovers and grabbing rebounds before barreling down the court for fast-break opportunities.

3) Nicole Boudreau – Andover #25 - The junior superstar has already committed to play her college ball at Boston College. Boudreau’s knockdown shooting ability makes her a threat at any moment in the game, from any spot on the floor.

Boudreau can shoot, drive, and play defense. If she is playing at her top capacity, you will see a deadly jump shooter making threes from all angles. You will also see the ability to pass the ball to open teammates. She often draws a double team which means she will have shooters such as Ally Fazio and Jackie Alois open along the perimeter.

4) Melissa Miller – Central Catholic #14 - Melissa is one reason why Central Catholic may have an upper hand on Andover tonight. The forward stands at 6-feet tall, an advantage in the paint that will allow her to be a force both offensively and defensively.

If Miller plays up to her potential, you will see a big night in the paint from her. She scored 22 points in the first round against Westford Academy, but was held to nine in the Red Radiers’ quarterfinal game against Masco. The senior is committed to play at Merrimack College next year.

5) Ally Fazio – Andover #2 - The third of the Andover co-captains seemingly does it all. In the backcourt she bothers opposing guards and on offense she is a knockdown shooter from behind the arc. Andover drivers will look to dish to the sharpshooter who nailed five three-pointers in the quarterfinals against Cambridge.

If Fazio can knock down all of her shots, Andover’s outside shooting ability may be too much for the Red Raiders to handle. Her leadership as a captain is unparallelled as she is in her junior year and will anchor the team along with Nicole Boudreau next year. 

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