After a forced week’s layoff because Tuesday;’s big game at Lynn English was snowed out until February 18, the Danvers High boys basketball team played more like its pre-season reputation last night, routing Saugus, 86-41 in the DHS field house.
In moving to 12-0 as a three-game week looms, the Falcons had no intention of taking any prisoners against the Sachems, who in their previous meeting at Saugus had played Danvers to a halftime draw before our heroes pulled away.
On this occasion Danvers rocked to a 13-0 lead and — presto — the game was over for all intents and purposes; the Falcons getting off to a terrific start, something they hadn’t done all that often so far this season.
Vinny Clifford led four Falcons in double figures with 15 points and three 3s, while sophomore point guard Devonn Allen added 14, Devan Harris 11 and Peter Merry 10.
Equally important, the first two players off the Danvers bench had their best outings of the year, Mike Nestor and Tre Crittendon showing the kind of all-around play coach John Walsh will need from them if the Falcons are to attain great heights as the regular season continues and tournament time approaches.
So it’s now the Falcons host weak Winthrop Tuesday and Greater Boston rep Malden (a .500 squad and dangerous) Wednesday before a Friday night rematch at Swampscott. This should be a 3-0 week for the Falcons — though there are no guarantees at this stage of the campaign — as they wrap up the NEC season the following week hosting Gloucester Tuesday the 10th and visiting Marblehead Thursday the 12th, all with 7:30 starts. A fourth straight NEC Small Division title is locked up, but the mythical NEC overall title is still up for grabs, though Danvers is once again in the driver’s seat.
The Falcons then will get three terrific preps before the tournament, playing in the Woburn Invitational February 14 and 15 (Woburn is strong this year in the always formidable Middlesex League), after which they wrap up the regular season at Lynn English as noted earlier.
Let the games continue.