ANDOVER, Mass. — There weren’t exactly state championship expectations at Andover coming into this season. The Golden Warriors had graduated key players from last season’s team, and there were several underclassmen stepping into big roles this winter. Even coach Dave Fazio thought it would take some time.
But then a funny thing happened: Andover started winning. A statement victory at Central Catholic in the third game of the season showed the potential of this group. And they’ve kept winning.
“We thought two-year plan,” Fazio said. “Now we moved it to one-year plan.”
The winning ways continued Friday night, as the Golden Warriors – No. 2 in our MIAA boys Top 10 – rolled to their ninth consecutive victory, a 69-43 blowout over Lowell on senior night. It was fueled on the identity they found together this fall as a group: Defense. Andover held its visitors to four points in the second quarter, raced away in transition and never looked back.
“We obviously lost a great group of seniors last year, lost a bunch of size, but I know that we found our identity over the summer, over the fall,” junior star Josh Roux said. “Working together, getting up in the mornings, playing together, found our identity of we’re just going to try to make teams uncomfortable, guard them 94 feet all night and just pressure, pressure, pressure, it’s been a big emphasis of ours.”
Without the graduated Sam Concemi, a 6-foot-7 big now at Babson, Fazio knew he had a smaller group this year and he’s played to those strengths. He’s preached to them to rebound and push the ball in transition. He read an article recently that reaffirmed how important their defensive identity will be, especially as the state tournament looms.
“Your defense is your floor,” Fazio said. “Like our floor just has to be solid, and then your offense is your ceiling. … We have an unbelievable floor. If our floor is great, then our ceiling is … who knows? We can do some things in transition, we can make plays, we execute well. But I just keep telling them, defense will travel. There are going to be nights when we can’t make shots, we’re in the middle of the tournament, like last year. Defense will keep you in it until we can have an explosion.”
Andover improved to 13-1 and 9-0 in the Merrimack Valley Conference with Friday’s win, while Lowell dropped to 8-7 and 4-5 in the league. Here are five standouts from the matchup.
Charlie Tutwiler, Andover
Class of 2028, 5-11 guard
Tutwiler is the one who sets the tone for the Golden Warriors on the defensive end on a nightly basis as he takes the assignment of guarding the opposing team’s best player. Friday was no exception. Even without backcourt mate Luke Zorbas, another defensive-minded guard who was out injured, Tutwiler’s undying motor from the opening tip sparked the Golden Warriors with his unrelenting on-ball pressure and disruption.
“He is the best defending guard in the state. I’ll stand by that,” Roux said. “He pressures everybody’s best player every night, he’s our point guard and he’s assigned the best player every night. He’s just a workhorse.”
Tutwiler was also flying all over the offensive and defensive glass, including one offensive board sequence where he found teammate Logan Sullivan open for 3. He finished with 11 points, six boards and eight assists as he orchestrated the offense with ease. He blew by defenders and continuously got downhill where he made smart reads to set up his teammates. The future is incredibly bright for Tutwiler, who has made significant improvements from last season.
“I told him if he played himself last year, he’d beat himself by 25,” Fazio said. “People don’t realize, he’s a sophomore. He’s like 15 years old, but people have no idea. He’s gotten so much better. Now he’s adding his little pull-up, he’s shooting 3s a little bit better. The way he gets the ball downhill, he’s so unselfish. He’s kind of like Rondo, he’s a jet.”
Josh Roux, Andover
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
The Andover captain actually came off the bench Friday night to allow his four senior teammates to get the start on senior night, but it didn’t take long for him to make his usual impact. One of the best shooters in the state, Roux didn’t make a triple until the second half, but he contributed everywhere else. He made several plays defensively, including one sequence where he committed a turnover but immediately stole the ball back before finding a teammate in transition. He also made an impressive play as the lone man back on a Lowell 2-on-1 fast break where he made a strong contest for a miss, and he later recorded a block at the rim.
Offensively, he scored 20 points in three quarters before sitting the final period, including a seven-point sequence in which he hit a 3, got a transition layup and then got a steal and score in the backcourt. But I continued to be impressed with the way Roux adjusts when defenses try to run him off the 3-point line. He has the composure to get by defenders and make plays out of that; I saw a really nice Euro-step finish and a spin move into getting fouled. He also converted a three-point play off a sharp backdoor cut. That evolving offensive versatility has been a continued emphasis for him dating back to last summer with Mass Rivals.
“Teams are going to run me off the 3-point line, they’re not going to let me shoot,” Roux said. “When teams are face-guarding me and running me off the line, it’s been an emphasis in my game to be able to get to my pull-up — which still I’m not good at (and) I have to work on. I’m still not great at getting downhill and that’s another emphasis of my game. I have to be better with the ball, but it’s definitely been something I’ve been trying to work on.”
Logan Sullivan, Andover
Class of 2029, 6-0 guard
Sullivan continued his strong freshman season with another 11 points, including one 3-pointer. It’s clear how mature he is beyond his years with the way he feels and sees the game on his passes. He hit Roux with a backdoor pass for a three-point play, and he later made a perfect pass to Tutwiler in transition in stride that earned praise from Fazio. The coach has plugged his freshman into the starting lineup, and Sullivan continues to reward that trust.
“I told him at the Christmas tournament, 'You were an A offensively; you were a C defensively. Now you’re like an A or A+ offensively and now you’re like a B (on defense),'" Fazio said. "He’s getting it. It’s nice when you play with a bunch of guards who don’t care who shoots. Our chemistry is through the roof.”
Josiah Mercedat & Ben Hnat, Andover
Mercedat: Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Hnat: Class of 2026, 6-4 forward
Mercedat and Hnat were two of the four seniors honored Friday night, and each continued to make valuable contributions for Fazio. Mercedat, a physical guard who plays football, scored nine points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and was disruptive defensively and active on the boards, while Hnat provided an important interior presence for a smaller Andover squad with his rebounding and toughness.
“Ben Hnat is the co-key to the whole thing,” Fazio said. “He’s averaging 12 rebounds a game. And he doesn’t want to score; he just wants to rebound.”
Aiden Walter, Lowell
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Walter was typically the source of good things that happened for the Red Raiders. He finished with 11 points, including two 3-pointers and one impressive step-back triple to his left. He was also effective at getting to the rim, including one difficult take where he finished through traffic. I saw him make a few hustle plays, too, including one in the second half – with the game out of reach – where he raced back in transition to break up a pass that would have been an easy score.
