Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, February 28, 2020 Tide routs Methuen in first-round playoff By Greg Phipps G iven the final result, it was a surprise of sorts when the Everett High School boys basketball team found itself trailing at the end of one quarter during Div. 1 North first-round playoff action on Monday night at the Everett High School gym. It didn’t take long for the Crimson Tide to find their legs and eventually storm away to a convincing 6634 victory over the Methuen Rangers. The win advanc ed fourth-seeded Everett to the quarterfinals, in which it hosts No. 5 Cambridge Rindge & Latin on Friday at home (scheduled 7 p.m. tip). Cambridge defeated 12th-seeded Peabody by 18 points in its first-round contest. Against 13th-seeded Methuen, the Tide appeared a bit off balance in the opening period, as the upstart Rangers used a disciplined zone defense approach to disrupt the Tide’s offensive attack and take a 12-11 lead into the second quarter. As the game progressed, it was apparent that Everett’s quickness and athleticism was taking control. Behind 16-13 early in the second period, the Tide went on a game-altering 16-2 run to close out the first half and enter intermission ahead 29-18. From there, Methuen was never able to mount a threat, managing to score just 16 points in the entire second half against the Tide’s suffocating defense. Everett head coach Stanley Chamblain said his young squad, with just one senior player on the roster, may have been a little too hyped up for the game. “I thought our team opened the first quarter with a minor case of the jitters – opening round of the tournament, PLAYOFF | SEE PAGE 17 Everett’s Kevin Ariste looks to make a power move beneath the basket in Monday’s first-round contest. Everett guards Omar Quilter and Brandon Johnson pressure a Methuen player in Monday’s first-round playoff win at home. (Advocate Photos by Greg Phipps)
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