Tue, Jan 09, 2018
07:00 PM @
North Andover
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
| Haverhill |
5 |
5 |
13 |
13 |
36 |
| North Andover |
17 |
20 |
22 |
12 |
71 |
Triumphant return for Knights' DeSouza
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Tuesday, January, 09
By Jeff Hamrick
NORTH ANDOVER — Having won four of its first six games, including all three conference games, North Andover had already shown enough skill to raise expectations.
The Scarlet Knights, however, got even better a little over 3 minutes, 10 seconds into Tuesday night’s 71-36 victory over Haverhill.
That’s when junior Gabe DeSouza made his team debut — 27 days after a heart procedure to repair an arrhythmia. And the Eagle-Tribune All-Star wide receiver, whose heart problem was not known until after he was knocked unconscious by a hit on a kickoff return in North Andover’s Division 2 North championship-game defeat, wasted little time showing off the skills he brings to the Knights’ palette.
A transfer from Everett High, DeSouza missed his first attempt 25 seconds after entering the game, but a few seconds later, he took a feed from Jake McElroy and scored on a nice scooping layup that drew a foul.
He missed the charity toss, but DeSouza added a three from the wing with 15 seconds left to give the Knights a 17-5 lead after one.
“Sunday was my first day back,” said DeSouza, who required a month of tests before doctors determined his condition. “(Monday) was a like a pregame. ... Last time I was in a game, it didn’t end so well, so my head was all over the place.
“But once I got in, my teammates told me everything was going to be fine and they had my back. I thank my teammates for making everything fine and my coaches for believing in me. And it’s going to be a fun season.”
As North Andover continued a run that would eventually reach 22 unanswered points, DeSouza added a layup after making a half-court steal and finished with seven points. He also made an athletic play in the corner, blocking a Haverhill shot and containing the ball before going out of bounds.
“I thought he’s handled this situation as well as any kid his age could,” North Andover coach Paul Tanglis said. “He’s an athletic guard, and he’s going to make us better. The guys are happy for him, and for each other. That’s really good to see.”
And after his first action following the scary ordeal, DeSouza only had eyes for the future.
“I have the best doctors in the world,” he said. “Once they told me I was good to go, I had no doubt I would be fine the rest of the season and for the rest of my life. ... I don’t regret things at all. Everything happens for a reason, and I’m very thankful that I got whatever it was all taken care of.”
43-point lead
North Andover had no problem against shorthanded Haverhill (2-4 MVC, 3-6 overall). The Knights led by 17 at intermission and built a 43-point lead midway through the fourth period when Tanglis went deep on his bench.
McElroy led the Knights (4-0, 5-2). One game after draining seven threes, the junior guard popped another five, finishing with a game-high 21 points with three assists and five steals. Kyle Moore added 12 points for North Andover, which also saw the return of Chim Ogwuru following a two-week trip to Nigeria for a funeral and two weddings.
Shorthanded Hillies
Dante Cadeus (11) was the only Hillie in double figures. Haverhill, which had 22 turnovers and just 13 field goals, was without leading scorer Daejon Pendelton-Mills. He did not play because of a “coach’s decision,” said head coach Souleymane Wane.
Game Statistics:
Haverhill (36): Cameron Stratton 1 0-0 3, Johan Farias 0 0-0 0, Thomas Vaillancourt 2 -1-2 7, Hector Iraheta 0 0-0 0, Devon Cunningham 3 2-3 9, Dante Cadeus 4 2-2 11, Samuel Powell 1 0-0 2, Amine Naamani 1 0-0 2, John DiBurro 0 0-0 0, Phillip Cunningham 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 5-7 36
North Andover (71): Darren Watson 1 0-0 2, Kyle Moore 5 0-0 12, Jake McElroy 8 0-1 21, Ryan Slattery 0 0-0 0, Garrett Murphy 4 0-1 8, Chim Ogwuru 2 0-0 5, Gabe DeSouza 3 0-1 7, Colin Lee 0 0-0 0, Mike Goirgoni 1 2-2 4, Kellan Murphy 2 0-0 6, Matt Kutz 1 0-0 2, Jake Wolinski 0 0-0 0, Sean Kenneally 1 2-3 4, Matt Niejadlik 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 4-8 71
3-pointers: NA — McElroy 5, K. Murphy 2, Moore 2, Ogwuru, DeSouza; HAV — Vaillancourt 2, Stratton, Cadeus, D. Cunningham
