Gary Larrabee

It’s a journey that Vinny Clifford, on the one hand, wouldn’t have wished on his worst enemy. But on the other, it’s a journey he would hope every basketball buddy could experience.

From savoring the ecstacies derived from being a  sophomore starter on the repeat Division 3 state champion Danvers High Falcons two years ago, Clifford last winter suffered through the worst form of basketball season purgatory. He sat in street clothes for every one of the Falcons’ 23 games, exhorting his teammates as only he could while recovering from major knee surgery from September 2013, required after getting hurt during the summer playing AAU ball.

As the only returning starter on what turned out to be a Cinderella season even without his playing availability, Clifford provided a vital role as the veteran who offered knowledge to a virtually new roster based on his championship season.

There was some gratification in sharing his counsel and seeing his mates sparkle during a 20-3 campaign; one that saw the Falcons repeat as Northeastern Conference champions, win three tournament games before falling in the Division 2 North final to New Mission, and establish coach John Walsh as one of the best in Eastern Massachusetts.

Yet, one can only imagine the anguish Clifford felt in not being able to contribute on the floor, quite possibly being the player who could have made a difference in any of the Falcons’ three defeats. Rather, he simply served as the good soldier last winter, the only consolation as an injured player being his ability in solitude to shoot the basketball flat-footed in practices, knowing he was making good progress in his long rehabilitation.

But, and it was an enormous “but,” Clifford was missing his entire junior season competitively. He would not have the benefit of the 99% of healthy players who would smoothly progress from sophomore season to junior season to senior season.

Fast-forward to this current season and for Clifford and teammates it’s been like living a dream:  an unprecedented undefeated regular season (21-0),  fourth straight Northeastern Conference Small and mythical Overall titles, first-time ascension to the No. 1 ranking in the Boston Globe Top 20, and a most reasonable chance at capturing a third state title, this time in Division 2, in four years.

“What we’ve done to this point is a great accomplishment, something we should all be proud of as players and coaches,” Clifford, the team’s 6-3 shooting forward who has saved his best long-range marksmanship for this week’s tortuous four-games-in-72-hours stretch, said. “We felt we had a good chance to win every game on our schedule and we did, though we had several close calls.

“Someone always came forward and made the big play, whatever it was, to save a game or win the game at the end, and we know we have a great coaching staff led by Coach (John) Walsh. So we every game started out feeling we could, should win.”

No matter how good he said he felt or how strong he played in the preseason, everyone in the Danvers High basketball camp was on pins and needles to a degree when the regular season started. How well, in fact, would Clifford’s knee hold up in real game action?

We found out in the opener at Winthrop December 16 when Clifford hit 5-of-11 three-point attempts and scored 15 points in the Falcons’ 62-28 victory. Clifford was back in action with those beautiful rainbow bombs from three-point land — and deeper. He was quiet offensively the next two games, then exploded for a career-high 29 points at Gloucester, 27 in the second half with four treys, in another easy win.

He was a reliable two-way performer, but enjoyed no splashy offensive games for the next couple weeks, but saved the Falcons’ tense 39-37 home court win over Salem by blocking the Witches’ last-gasp final shot from behind the three-point line with two seconds remaining.

“People forget Vinny is a solid all-around player for us,” Walsh has pointed out often this season. “Defense, rebounding; we have him out on the floor for a lot more reasons than just his offense. That play at the end of the Salem game was the perfect example.”

The next game at Revere was Vinny’s sharpest from beyond the arc to date, hitting 6-for-7 in threes in another Falcon rout. He was 5-for-10 in the 79-40 non-league blowout win over Malden, but three games later had his roughest offensive outing of the year at Marblehead, missing all five field goal attempts and showing zeroes in the box score in a 53-47 “narrow escape” triumph.

Uh-oh. Was everything alright, every DHS hoop fan wondered.  Was the knee acting up? It turned out, of course, that nothing was wrong at all.

“Marblehead did a good job using a triangle-and-2 (and a box-and-1) that night,” Clifford said. “I realized I had to move better without the ball. They had two strong defensive games against us. They’re a good team.”

Would Clifford get some desired results from moving better without the ball in the Falcons’ next game, the semifinal of the Comcast/Arbella Invitational at Woburn High against Bishop Feehan? Indeed he would.

Clifford hit 5-of-11 three-point attempts in Danvers’s 60-56 victory, then had an equally strong shooting/all-around game in the tourney final the next day against Malden Catholic, going 4-for-7 from deep in a cakewalk win.

These two games served as excellent tuneups for Danvers’s third game in as many days, the long-awaited showdown  between the NEC’s two powers at Lynn English, the Falcon’s third game in as many days.

In unquestionably his finest moments as a high school basketball player, Clifford led all scorers with 28 points, hitting 8-of-14 three-point attempts, sparking two different Danvers comebacks when they might have been on the verge of getting blown out, hit four treys in a third quarter takeover for a 12-point lead, then came through big, big big one final time in the last two minutes. He hit a deep right side three to break a 73-73 tie and made a cut-through layup after a nifty feed from Rashad Francois with 49 seconds left for a 78-75 lead.

Devan Harris’s foul shot with no time remaining was the game winner accounting for the final score, 79-78, but it didn’t take a Ph.D in hoopology to recognize Clifford as the player of the game. Teammates Devonn Allen, Harris, Peter Merry and Francois all contributed mightily, Allen at point guard in particular. But without Clifford’s timely ICBM-like shotmaking, English would have won this battle by double figures.

“You can’t replace great clutch shooting like Vinny gave us tonight,” Walsh said afterward. “We had to score a lot of points to win tonight and Vinny more than anyone made our offensive production possible. The other players more than did their share, all coming through when it was needed most. But Vinny’s three-pointers were critical for us.”

“No, I didn’t change any technique from the Marblehead game to this week,” says Clifford, who in these past four games, including the 68-55 regular season finale win at Rockland Thursday, has made 23-of-45 three-pointers (6-for-10 at Rockland), better than 50 percent, extraordinary at the high school level.

“Maybe my mindset was better, knowing we had to play the hardest we’ve played all year to win. I never lost my confidence. You think too much about it and you’d really be in trouble. I’m just glad I could help the team any way I could.”

The after-effects of the English epic were with Clifford and Company during their Thursday noon hour start at Rockland. “I was  very tired at the start of the game,” Clifford admitted. “Think all of us were. It was hard to get much sleep after the English game. I’m just glad we were able to push through at Rockland, but it wasn’t easy”

Now, the senior tri-captain (with Harris and Merry), is only a handful of games from his second state title.

“It’s great what we’ve done to here, but it’s almost like we start all over,” Clifford said of the post-season. “We’re still growing as a team. We’ve faced several challenges and gotten past them. Now we’ll face more and we’ve got to handle them, too. We can do well in the tournament. I think we’ve played our best stretch of the season this week. I’m hoping we can keep growing, keep getting better, and we could do well.”

A major key in Danvers’ tourney trail will be avoiding injuries and staying out of foul trouble. When the “Fab Five” is on the floor they could be unbeatable in Division 2. The Falcons did not lose a single player to injury for even a single game in these first 21. The players showed tremendous stamina and will at Lynn English. They’ve also been able to weather severe foul trouble situations.

One other issue is keeping turnovers down to a minimum. The Falcons survived though committing 15 at Lynn, many caused by English’s outstanding defensive pressure, in both the man-to-man and zone-press categories.

“We known we’re capable,” Clifford noted. “The pressure will be there on the floor and off the floor since we’re undefeated. But we can handle of it. We’re motivated for all the right reasons. If we give it our best shot, we’ll be fine.”

And if Clifford keeps playing — and shooting — at such a high level, Danvers fans will be fine as well.

After Wednesday night’s exhilarating 79-78 victory at Lynn English, the Danvers High boys basketball team had very little turnaround time before busing to Rockland Thursday morning for a rare 12:30 tipoff to close out their regular season, the result of a prior postponement.

Shaking the cobwebs, the Falcons grabbed a 20-14 first quarter lead, extended it to 40-25 at halftime and coasted from there, posting a 68-55 victory and concluding the first perfect regular season in program history.

Vinny Clifford continued his torrid three-point shooting, making six bombs for 18 points total, the same rung up by Devan Harris, who made the winning free throw at Enbglish with bio time remaining.

Their reward for winning four road games, two of them barn burners, in a 72-hour period? As much as a week off before they begin their bid for a third state championship in four years. They’ll be practicing, of course, under coach John Walsh, who notched his 99th career win against Rockland; maybe even scrimmaging a local  tourney squad.

Pairings for the tourney, Division 2 North in the Falcons’ case, are expected to be announced Saturday evening or Sunday. Check out the MIAA website for the announcement.

It’s expected the Falcons will get at least one home game, probably two, as they did last year before falling to New Mission in the Division 2 North final.

Looking ahead, the Division 2 North final will be at UMass-Lowell on Saturday March 7, followed by the Eastern Mass. title game at TD Garden on Monday the 9th or Tuesday the 10th, followed by the state final the following Saturday in Worcester.

But for the moment, the Falcons get a much-needed and well deserved break from the pressure connected to their historic quest.

To have attended last night’s historic, pulsating, heart-stopping, nerve-wracking, glorious 79-78 Danvers High boys’ basketball victory at Lynn English was to have been a part of arguably the greatest single-game performance by a Danvers High boys’ team — ever.

That does not mean we wish to take anything away from the two unforgettable Division 3 North wins, the two Division 3 state semifinal triumphs in TD Garden nor the two state championship wins in Worcester.

But…to have been in full view of what this amazing, amazing team achieved last night under extremely difficult conditions — on the road for the third straight game in as many days against a reputable  foe, in this case a Division 1 state championship contender and repeat Northeastern Conference Large Division champ —  was to have been a part of a sporting event anyone in attendance, especially as a Danvers supporter, will never forget.

I’ve seen a zillion bone-crunching, fast-paced barn burners over the years, from the high school level to the NBA Championship round (thanks to covering five NBA finals with the Celtics), all of which came down to the final shot in the final second.

But nothing I have witnessed prepared me for the athleticism, clutch shooting, momentum swings and pressure-packed play I watched last night.

In the end, the “Falcons’ Fab Five”  — that has a nice ring to it —  was able to survive several offensive assaults from the home team, which was coming off a stunning loss to cross-town rival Lynn Classsical, and earn their unprecedented 20th victory of the year without a loss.

The Falcons, led by the unflappable genius of baby-faced coach John Walsh, eek to close out the regular season 21-0 — and to retain the first-ever No. 1 ranking in the Boston Globe Top 20 received just hours before the Lynn English showdown — this afternoon with a 12:30 non-league visit to 7-7 Rockland.  That will mean two games in less than 24 hours and four games in 72 hours. But expect the Falcons to come out with fire in their eyes once again, as they did in stopping Bishop Feehan Monday at Woburn, 60-56, Malden Catholic Tuesday at Newton North, 79-59, to win the Comcast Arbella Division 2 Invitational, and outlasting Lynn English night.

Anyone reading this will probably already know in detail, most important Devan Harris’s free throw with no time remaining that won the game, thanks to the “big game” coverage provided last night’s game by The Boston Herald, Boston Globe, Daily Item of Lynn, Salem News and ESPN/Boston, how this masterpiece of a high school contest (despite the 29 total turnovers combined, 14 for Lynn,  and seemingly easy scoring opportunities that were missed) evolved. But here are a few snippets.

• Facing without question the best team they have played all season, the Falcons fell behind at the outset by 6-1 and 11-4 counts, as English’s zone press defense, red-hot shooting (5-for-5 to start, 3 of them three-pointers) and obvious advantage in athleticism and speed had the visitors reeling. The Falcons committed turnovers on their first three possessions, two of which occurred before they got the ball to halfcourt, four in the first two minutes.
• But senior shooting forward nonpareil Vinny Clifford, on as spectacular a three-point shooting hot streak as you can have (17-for-32 the last 3 games, 8-for-14 on this evening) got Danvers untracked offensively with successive treys, three for the quarter and a 16-foot two-pointer for good measure, and the Falcons clawed back to within 23-20 at the end of the quarter.
• English (17-4 and a high seed when the Division 1 North pairings come out this weekend) then went on another spree and had the Falcons on the ropes yet again in the second quarter at 35-26. But super sensational sophomore point guard Devonn Allen, the MVP of the Comcast-Arbella tourney and probably the co-No. 2 star last night with mates Peter Merry (16 points10 rebounds, 4 blocks), Harris (15 points, 9 rebounds) and sensational sixth man Rashad Francois (11 points, 5 rebounds), behind Clifford and his career-high 28 points (8 boards), answered the challenge. Allen hit a 16-foot swisher. Francois added a floater in the lane, a cut-in-the-lane layup and two foul shots, Harris put in a rebound and Allen provided a delicious driving scoop lay-up, all of which drew the Falcons within 41-38 at intermission. The fans only had 10 minutes,  to catch their breaths and cool down, but they might have welcomed enough time to run outside and dunk their heads in one of the available mammoth snow piles.
• Keep in mind the “Fab Five,” cheered on in deafening manner by the “Falcon Fanatics” seated right behind their bench, were going the entire game, with rare mini-brief substitutions from Mike Nestor and Tre Cittendon, with a frighteningly frantic up-and-down-the-floor pace. Not exactly what they have been accustomed to, such as in their toughest NEC games to date (39-37 over Salem, 46-43 and 53-47 over Marblehead). Still, they took control of the game in the third quarter. Powered by four Clifford rainbow three-point bombs from the corner, Danvers hit eight of its first 11 shots and jumped out to a 64-52 less, their loyal followers going delirious.
• But as anyone on board anticipated, English responded with a rush that tied the score at 66 just as Harris got hit with his fourth personal foul with 6:19 left. But the Falcons have handled foul trouble and foul-outs with masterful aplomb in the most dramatic of situations and this was no exception. Harris never did foul out,
• The game remained nip and tuck the rest of the way, with several excellent Falcon field goal bids hitting the back of the rim until Clifford — it’s time to call him Mr. Clutch — hit his eighth and final three-bagger to make it 76-73 with 1:22 showing, then cashed a layup on a nifty pass from Francois for a 78-75 cushion with 49 seconds left.
• It was 78-77 when Harris missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 14.9 seconds remaining, but English’s Stevie Collins made only his second of two foul shots with 5.4 ticks remaining at the other end after a penetration down the lane (and a controversial foul call).

That set the stage for Harris’s redemption, though he was vital to this victory and has been critical in the Falcons’ overwhelming success last year and this since coming to town from Hingham.  The Falcons had to go the full length of the court. When Harris got the pass near mid court — if my memory serves me (writer’s remorse) —  the ever-confident Harris took two dribbles and fired away from 27 feet in front of the Danvers bench, the ball was partially deflected and many thought it meant overtime. But no, in deflecting the shot the Lynn defender had struck Harris’s arm. That meant a three-shot foul with no time remaining. Devan made the first (after going 0-for-4 from the line prior) and the Falcons had secured one of the greatest wins in the program’s history.

Walsh’s explanation after the game for his team’s ability to raise its game to new levels this week? “They’re playing harder and harder. They’ve got the stamina to handle the fast pace, any pace. They know how to get through tough times. They’re confident they can handle any situation, They believe in each other.”

It is difficult for this observer to put this win in proper perspective. The enormity of its meaning is obvious. The heart of the five primary players can never be overstated. Their endurance, their nerves, their ability to make so many huge plays — all five of them based on the roles each must play. And Walsh continues to marvel with his handling of this team in general and his front liners in particular.

Count your blessings, Falcon fans. Remarkably, the team has not had to deal with a single major injury through 20 games; nothing short of unbelievable a year after the team lost its only returning starter to a summer knee injury (see below).

Now, a player-by-player rundown:

• Vinny Clifford — What a story this young man has written after being forced to suffer through the entire 2013-14 Cinderella season (20-3, NEC Small and NEC overall titles, Div. 2 North final loser to New Mission) sitting on the bench in street clothes after needing surgery for his ACL in September of 2013. What mental agony he must have gone through. What a difference he could have made if able. So he served as the best teammate and bench leader he could. And he waited and waited for the 2014-15 season. He nicked the surgical knee during the summer but recovered quickly. He returned to action last December gradually, needing to build up resistance to discomfort in his injured, heavily-braced knee. He has had countless strong all-around games, several superb shooting games, without missing a single game, though in the early schedule he got more rest than he wanted, but that was part of Walsh’s plan to bring him along at a safe pace. When Clifford was held by Marblehead last Thursday in Marblehead to an 0-for-5 shooting night, his worst of the season, there were concerns. But neither Clifford nor his mates nor his coach had any. And with good reason. In what loomed on paper as the three toughest games of the regulars season, Clifford has been an NBA-ish 17-for-32 from three-point land, many of his swishes coming from several feet beyond the arc. Vinny is simply playing his best all-around basketball of the season right now, as has been evidenced in his ability to help Allen primarily, but Francois and Frittendon too, in bringing the ball up against relentless defensive pressure. He has also upticked his rebounding and defending to an all-star level. But his ICBM-like marksmanship has played the most impactful role in the team’s jacking up its game to celestial levels these last three games. His two early bombs last night seemed to get his teammates going after a scary start.
• Devonn Allen — Coach Walsh had every confidence that Allen would be a terrific point man for his team this winter, especially after Allen’s sparkling summer play alongside Merry, Harris and Merry on the AAU Boston Warriors squad. But the young man has raised his game to stratospheric levels the last few weeks, highlighted by his play in these last four games. His MVP award in the Comcast/Arbella tourney is testament to all that. His play against Bishop Feehan and Lynn English this week has been critical to his team’s victories. As Walsh has noted after both victories, Allen’s tremendous floor play, especially against English’s stifling man and zone-press defenses, made those wins possible. If Devonn cracks, the Falcons lose, period. He does not crack. Allen had a few turnovers, but everyone else on the team did as well (16 total). Unavoidable against a team with such quick feet and exceptional athleticism. Devonn beast that pressure singlehandedly countless times. And don’t forget that Devonn is a threat to cash in his jumper (he’s been uncanny with his threes) or drive to the rim every time down the floor.
• Peter Merry — The 6-10 senior center had enjoyed a solid regular season, topped by his near-perfect 36-point offensive showing against a good Lynn Classical unit that shocked English last week. But his ferocious defensive and rebounding play this week has taken his game to another level of performance needed, or the Falcons probably lose to Feehan and English. He quietly does the dirty work at both ends of the floor, getting little compassion from the referees on offense while showing his dominating influence at the defensive end. Moreover, his re-discovered offensive impact this week has been welcomed by all.
• Devan Harris — Where would the Falcons be without this Charles Barkley-esque figure who can do everything well and is all but unstoppable when he gets the ball in the low post (helped in no small part by the attention teams must give the aforementioned Mr. Merry on the other side of the lane)? NEC MVP and Salem News Player of the Year in 2013-14, Harris has been no less successful this year, but his impact may not be measured quite as highly this year because of Merry’s improvement from a year ago and Clifford’s return. But make no mistake, the 6-4 power forward has had a fantastic season, topped by last night’s winning free throw with no time left at English.  His three-point accuracy has added yet another three-point dimension to go along with Clifford, next option Allen and Francois. Because of the three-point talent this quartet possesses, the Falcons are liable one night soon to win a game by taking more threes than twos. The team’s ability to take so many threes is enhanced by the devastating 1-2 inside game provided by Harris and Merry. Devan’s uncanny rebounding ability and underrated defense (not appreciated by the whistle tooters at all this season) also weigh heavily in Danvers’ 20-0 record.
• Rashad Francois — The junior flash with the best quickness and speed on the floor along with Allen has enjoyed several heroic games this season, but none to compare with his play against Malden Catholic and English in his frequently-created sixth man role. He savored undoubtedly his finest two-way game under pressure conditions last night. He made his presence felt in every phase of his game: rebounding, shooting outside and penetration, passing that set up layups and wide open successful threes, ball-handling, defense and rebounding. When Rashad gets into his desired rhythm, as was the case last night in what was a brutally up-tempo game, he thrives.

Off-guard/small forward starter Mike Nestor and backup guard Tre Crtittendon have had their moments, especially in what they delivered against Bishop Feehan after Merry and Harris fouled out. They will continue to contribute, hopefully with their best games ahead of them as tournament time approaches.

Now, a few more comments on John Walsh. Like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick have often said, “You are what your record says you are, no matter what your personnel.” Well, there can be no mistake that Walsh has been the perfect coach for this group and the group he guided the three years prior, there second and third editions of which won Division 3 state titles. He’s only in his mid-30s, with five years of varsity assistant coaching experience under his belt before coming to Danvers. Today he is considered one of the top high school coaches in the state and one being eyed by virtually every Division 1 and 2 school that might be looking for a new coach sooner rather than later.

For much of the first 15 games or so, the Falcons seemed to play to the level of — or only slightly above the level, thankfully — of the team they were playing.  This frustrated the coaching staff. Walsh never conceded this observation, but it must have driven him loco, trying to figure out what was needed to get the “Fab Five” to all play with complete devotion and energy. Of course, team insiders might consider this perspective loco since the team kept winning every single game. No matter. They finally have played these last three games like state champions, even with a few performance warts showing.

After finishing an historic 21-0 with the expected win today at Rockland, the Falcons will get some time off before hosting one or two Division 2 North games. They will be seeded No. 1, with a rematch with New Mission a strong possibility. After today’s game, let the magical ride of this superb season continue with all arrows pointed to the state final in Worcester March 14.

Lastly, a few factoids regards the greatest winning era by a major boys’ sports team in DHS history.

• 21-0 this year, 41-3 the last two years, 63-5 the last three years, 84-9 the last four years, tournament games included.
• Four straight NEC Small titles
• Four straight NEC Overall (mythical) titles as the team with the best NEC record in either Small or Large
• Two MIAA Division 3 states titles 2012, 2013, Division 2 North finalist 2014
• The first No. 1 ranking in the Boston Globe’s Top 20 (published February 18, 2015), within five Division 1 teams ranked two through six.

Now catch your breath and get ready for February/March Madness.

It loomed as a close contest for the Comcast-Arbella Classic Division 2 tournament title Tuesday at Newton North High School. But the close-to-peaking Danvers High Falcons played their finest two-way game of the year against a quality opponent and mauled Malden Catholic, 79-59, giving them a program-record 19-0 regular season mark.

The masterful victory, in which five Falcons were in double figures and Peter Merry was named to the all-tourney team with teammate and tourney MVP Devonn Allen, sets the stage for a third major battle in as many nights, this one at 14-2 Lynn English Wednesday at Lynn (7 p.m. start), with either the Falcons clinching a third straight mythical Northeastern Conference title with a win or sharing the mythical title with a loss. English has already won the NEC Large once again, while the Falcons won the NEC Small for a fourth straight year and are looking for a fourth straight best overall NEC record.

The Falcons, hitting a stunning 10-for-22 three-point field goal attempts, similar in percentage, maybe somewhat better than what they shot the previous day in beating Bishop Feehan, 60-56, turned a 20-14 one quarter advantage against MC into a 44-25 halftime runaway, powered by a balanced offense and a strong-willed man-to-man defense that forced Catholic Conference representative MC (11-6) into seven first half turnovers and a poor shooting night from start to finish.

The Falcons, operating effectively in every aspect of the game, from shooting to ball-hawking to rebounding, never let up in the second half. Senior Vinny Clifford followed his 5-for-8 three-point accuracy against Feehan with a 4-for-7 outing against MC. That’s 9-for-18 in the two games after being shut out at Marblehead last Thursday. Most high school players would beg, borrow and steal to shoot like that from inside the arc, never mind from behind. But Clifford currently is honing in from extra deep range like never before this season.

Coach John Walsh showed just how much confidence he has in his quartet of reliable three-point shooters (Clifford, Allen, Devan Harris and Rashad Francois) by running most of his first half set plays geared to the open three, and they got them with terrific results. How often have you seen a high school coach run set play after set play with the ultimate goal either an open three (often launched) or a feed inside to the 6-10 pivot (Merry)?

Clifford finished with 14 points, Allen 10 (2-for-3 from 3-point land), sixth man Rashad Francois had 12 (2-for-6 in treys), Harris added 15 (12 in the second half after sitting much of the first half with foul trouble) and Merry added inside scoring balance with Harris’s with 19 points in one of his finest two-way games of the season. That’s five players in doubles, a rare feat.

All in all, it was a breathtaking showing. For so many weeks spoiled Danvers fans, including this one, had fretted that the Falcons were playing only to the level of their opponent, had gotten lucky in a few of the close wins against the better NEC rivals, and might stumble badly as they wrap up the regular season schedule against some major challenges.

Wrong. The Falcons have risen to the occasion their last three toughies and today scaled a new height not before reached this season. They play like this against English and in the tournament they’ll have a good shot at making it to the state Division 2 final at Worcester March 14.

It should be added that Walsh had perfect command from the bench for a second straight outing, this observer’s only concern being that he kept his front liners in the game too far into the fourth quarter.

This game may prove to be the game that showed everyone, including the Falcons themselves, that they may be destined for even bigger things come tournament time.

Wednesday’s English showdown will hopefully give us more encouraging signs. But to this point, the Falcons have been an extraordinary team led by an exciting two-way point guard in Allen, three game-changing captains in Merry, Clifford and Harris, a defensive demon in Mike Nestor and a sixth man, Francois, who return to brilliant form against Malden Catholic. Add third guard Tre Crittendon’s steadier play too the mix and the Falcons may just be the team to beat in Division 2.

But first they’d like to take care of business at Lynn and Rockland.

Danvers High School girls basketball coach Pat Veilleux has experienced plenty, and thought he had just about seen it all as a player, coach and hoop fan around these parts during his 57 years on this snow-covered earth .

That was until the last few weeks, when his Falcons, standing 3-9 and needing seven wins in their last eight games, then five wins in their last five starts, to qualify for the Eastern Massachusetts tournament, did just that.

“I’ve had a wonderful life in basketball as a fan, player, coach and parent,” says Veilluex. “This amazing turn of events ranks — and I’ve had time to give this some thought — among the most satisfying team success I’ve ever experienced. In fact, I’ve never seen anything this special performed by a team when it’s been under the gun for eight games.

“Nobody outside our locker room probably believed, when we were 3-9, that we could win seven of our last eight. Then, when we lost that 10th game and now faced the necessity of winning our last five to make the tournament, well, the girls on this team learned what they can accomplish when they believe in themselves, in each other, in their coaches, and, most important, play together.

“And that’s what this team has been all year, with injuries, sickness, some painful losses; a team that doesn’t care who scores the points or gets the ink in the papers; as long as they give it their best effort.

“It’s still happily numbing to me; the way we were under the gun for eight games, had little room for error, and weren’t sure if certain players could do the job with so much at stake,” Veilleux said. “But we found out, in essence, that everyone we called on could do the job and look what fantastic results we got.”

Veilleux is not one to exaggerate. He’s been around the block many times in this pressure basketball world. He was the junior point guard on the 1975 DHS boys’ basketball Northeastern Conference championship team coached by John McGrath and led by NEC MVP Ed Gieras.

He and Gieras were stars on two Salem State squads that won MASCAC titles and reached the NCAA Division 3 regional tournament.

He had two tournament teams in four years as the Bishop Fenwick boys coach in the 1980s, succeeding DHS immortal Dana Skinner, now the athletic director at NCAA Division 1 UMass-Lowell. He had two more tourney teams in a 12-year tenure as the DHS boys’ coach, took seven years iff from coaching to referee at the high school level, then got back on the bench as the Danvers varsity girls’ coach for the 2006-07 season.

He enjoyed major success when the girls, led by Kellie MacDonald, Sara Palazolla and Kasey Sherry won back-to-back NEC titles in 2010 and 2011. For all those good times, nothing has been as sweet as what his current team has achieved.

“I wondered at times last summer if we’d have enough players to make up a team,” Veilleux joked. “Three of our players suffered major injuries over the summer and have been wearing heavy knee braces all winter. We get into January, lose by one in overtime at Lynn Classical, then face a strong (6-1) Beverly team at our place with two of our players out with bad ankles and another out after suffering a 12-stitch cut in her eye in a freak practice mishap. So we had only seven players dressed.

“These injuries were giving me the willies. We’d lost senior captain Kara Connors in our second game for the season with a torn ACL. That was the fifth ACL injury we’d had to deal with in recent years. There were other injuries that lasted a week or so. It just didn’t seem like we’d be able to overcome all this stuff.

“But Devan Walsh scored a career-high 27 points the night we beat Beverly, 48-44, and we looked at ourselves differently; that we could be a good team if we could stay healthy. We stumbled at Salem despite a great effort, then lost to Revere and Peabody, and that when we found ourselves 3-9.”

Then the magic started. First came a 49-27 win at Saugus, thanks to a big second half from freshman Siobhan Moriarty (11 points, 14 rebounds) and a 17-2 third quarter.

“We played with more belief after that game,” Veilleux said. “That and the Beverly game we fed off more and more.”

Next came a home game to a Peabody team that had walloped the Falcons by 20 in their first meeting, Sophomore Angele Saggese scored 14 to power the Falcons to a 38-31 reversal.

A tough loss, despite a strong defensive effort, followed at Winthrop. Now the Falcons were 5-10. hey couldn’t slip up again.

And they didn’t. Danvers dumped non-league foe Ipswich, 42-28, keyed by a super effective box-and-1, devised by assistant coach Jon Levine, on Tiger ace Jenna Gagnon, who was held to nine points. Walsh’s 14 points and 10 rebounds led the way, aided by 10 rebounds each from Elena Clifford and Moriarty. Clifford, sister of DHS boys’ standout Vinny Clifford, had had a breakout game back in December with 20 points and 14 boards versus Saugus.

(Danvers basketball is thriving this year in large part because of the three Devans/Devonns taking charge; Walsh on the girls’ side and Devan Harris and Devonn Allen on the boys’ side. Let’s have a first-name-only 3-on-3 high school tournament and I’ll take the three Devans/Devonns every time.)

After falling to a Swampscott rally earlier in Swampscott, the Falcons gained revenge for win No. 7, 38-25, boosted by Hannah Llewellyn’s three three-pointers and Tina Gigli’s nine rebounds in a reserve role.

Set with an imposing nine-player rotation, the Falcons gained revenge for a bad loss earlier at home to Gloucester and sank the host Fishermen, 48-38, led by six clutch Llewellyn free throws in the fourth quarter, as well as Nicole White’s 12 points in the first half, her six steals and Walsh’s 18 points.

The very next night Danvers got its ninth win, after losing by double digits in Marblehead earlier, in what ranks as the second biggest of the team’s comebacks this season. Trailing by 40-25 early in the fourth quarter, with the tournament hopes all by erased, the Falcons staged a stunning rally, going on a 21-1 spurt and pulling out the victory, 46-41.

“This comeback was the most thrilling seen I’ve seen as a coach or player,” Veilleux said. “How it all snowballed with a full court zone press and clutch scoring plays, some steals; a situation where everyone on the floor during that spurt contributed. No one was bigger than Clifford (10 points, 12 rebounds), and White was right there, too,m with six steals and eight points.”

The Falcons were now at 9-10 with one game left to win or turn in their uniforms. Hone to Lynn English last Friday night, Veilluex feared most a letdown after the amazing win the night before. This made three games in three nights.But after a sluggish first half in which the Falcons led by only 29-22, they turned it on the second half for a 64-35 rout and a most unlikely 1`0-10, tourney-qualifying record. From 3-9, wow.

“We did an effective box-and-1 on their top player, Waleska Muriel, shared by Saggese, Moriarty and the other Llewellyn, Meagan, Hannah’s sister, and they held her two two second half points. With the underrated sophomore Julia McNulty sidelined with a concussion issue and Hannah Llewellyn out with illness, Veilleux had his pre game concerns. But they were unfounded. He had nine players hit the scoring column as they reached the post-season party.

“I’m just so happy the girls have had this experience. They earned it. They deserved all the good feelings that come with all but rising from the dead. I wish we didm;’t have to take all this time off between games, since the pairings don’t come out ’til this weekend, but we’ll get over it and maybe surprise someone once we get playing again. But no matter what happens from here, the girls have some wonderful memories to take with them for the rest of their lives.

“Equally so, it’s been a grand experience for me and my assistant, Jon Levine. The Salem State Hall of Famer is a Hall of Fame assistant in my estimation. He’s had my back the last four years, done a phenomenal job. I can’t say enough for all he’s done for the varsity program.”

That, ladies and gentleman, is how a championship team handles extreme adversity and wins a pressure-packed game against a quality opponent.

In staving off Bishop Feehan (14-4) by a 60-56 count in the Comcast/IAABO Board 27 Division 2 semifinal Monday afternoon at Woburn High, the undefeated Danvers High Falcons showed many of the winning qualities necessary if they are to be an MIAA Division 2 state title contender once the post-season gets under way next week. The Falcons face Tuesday at 4 p.m. Malden Catholic (11-6), a 68-63 winner over host Woburn, for the Division 2 tourney title at Newton North High School. Malden Catholic nearly upset St. John’s Prep last week, losing in overtime.

The Falcons (18-0, matching the program’s best start ever, also posted in 2012-2013) took offensive command early grabbing a 7-0 lead and made the South Shore team play catchup for all 32 minutes.

It was 19-7 early in the second, keyed to that point by three deep range three-pointers by Vinny Clifford, but Bp. Feehan drew within 24-22 at intermission. It would not have been that close except for several in-close Danvers misses and eight first half Danvers turnovers.

Sparked by the all-around floor play and two quick three-pointers from sophomore point guard deluxe Devonn Allen, the Falcons had their rivals reeling again in the third, during which DHS led by as many as 39-26 before ending the quarter ahead 41-32.

The Falcons continued in control in a game that featured two clawing man-to-man defenses early in the fourth quarter, on top 48-39, when it appeared disaster had struck.

First Devan Harris (13 points, 7 rebounds), fouled out with 4:36 left on what initially looked like a nifty Harris drive to the basket. But the referee waved off the basket and instead nailed the Falcons’ versatile power forward with his fifth foul.

Next trip down Rashad Francois, battling a shooting slump, canned a huge three-pointer to get the cushion back up to 12, but at the other end 6-10 pivotman Peter Merry (5 blocks, 9 rebounds) was called for his fifth foul on a defensive play and suddenly two vital starters were banished.

Could the Falcons hang on for the victory?

Bp. Feehan began whittling away at the deficit, but when Clifford (5-for-8 in threes, 15 points total) hit yet another long right corner three for a 56-43 lead with 2:40 left, the Falcons looked golden, even without Merry and Harris. When Clifford, who’d been shut out at Marblehead last Thursday, swished two foul shots for a 58-45 lead with 1:05 left, there was no doubt of the outcome. Or was there?

Bp. Feeehan ralled to draw within 58-56 with 12 seconds to go, aided by five successive missed Danvers foul shots, and it wasn’t until third guard Tre Crittendon sank two freebies with eight seconds left that the game truly was cinched.

Despite committing 13 turnovers, missing a batch of charity tosses late, having two top players foul out, and letting Bp. Feehan make a frantic rally in the closing minute, the Falcons showed once again they can win under virtually any circumstance, whether they have all their key players on the floor at the finish or not.

That’s the third game they’ve won by four points or less.

Clifford regained his shooting touch at the perfect time, coach John Walsh adjusting his offensive scheme from the Marblehead game ever so slightly so that Clifford, arguably the best three-point marksman in the region, got great looks on each of his bombs. Clifford also had a solid all-around game at both ends, play that often gets overlooked because of the way his three-point shooting stands out.

Harris was a clutch contributor with his vaunted inside game at both ends.

Merry shone, as usual, at the defensive end with those five blocks and nine rebounds and forced Bp. Feehan attackers to redirect their shots into misses.

Allen, nothing short of spectacular running the offense, getting the ball up court against a nasty zone press, especially in the fourth quarter, hitting distant field goals and making some gorgeous dish-offs for layups late, continues to play at an MVP level.

Francois regained his playing rhythm, especially with his clutch trey in the finale, and helped handle the ball in the final minutes against constant pressure.

Starting small forward Mike Nestor clearly had his finest game of the season, sparkling on defense and with his rebounding.

Crittendon, in addition to his game-clinching foul shots, also helped Allen handle the ball with the pressure on in the late going.

Lastly, John Walsh enjoyed what this observer believes was his best coaching effort of the season, handling every phase of the game expertly, especially in his substitutions and adjusting to Bp. Feehan’s rallies, as well as the Harris and Merry foul-outs.

Now they’ll try and do it again — for No. 19 without a loss — at 4 p.m. today.

The amazing, incredible five-year run of the John Walsh Era (96-19), continues.

Sophomore Devonn Allen and senior Devan Harris proved Thursday night on Brad Sheridan Court in the Marblehead High field house that a two-player offense is sometimes the best way to fight off a most capable, upset-minded opponent.

Point-man-turned-wingmanAllen staged the most clutch three-point shooting performance of the season for the unbeaten Danvers High Falcons — on a foreign floor no less, hitting five three-pointers, three in succession, in the first half as the visitors grabbed a 26-17 halftime lead. Without his marksmanship it might have been a tie game — or worse for DHS — at intermission.

Then Charles Barkley clone Harris, like Allen, mightily improved with his long distance shooting from a year ago, did Allen one better, simply because of the dramatic timing, running off nine straight points in the fourth quarter, including two monstrous three-pointers with 1:59 and 1:17 left.

Those bombs broke Marblehead’s back and spirit, turning a 44-44 tie into a 50-44 advantage. ultimately resulting in a 53-47 Danvers triumph, with three Allen free throws in the final minute clinching matters.

It was arguably the Falcons’ most extraordinary win of this latest “dream” season, now at 17-0 with the Wobirn Invitational coming up Sunday at 1:30 against Bishop Feehan, weather permitting.

Marblehead nearly stole victory from the Falcons when they met in Danvers, holding Harris to four points and sharpshooter Vinny Claifford to five, but Rashad Francois canned a critical three-pointer and Vinny sank two free throws to save that one.

Last night Marblehead’s crafty coach, Mike Giardi, known better for his baseball coaching expertise, put his Headers (9-8) in position again to pull off the major upset, this time stifling Clifford’s offensive game with a box-and-1 defense that kept No. 21 off the scoreboard the entire night. Though Vinny contributed in several other areas, especially on defense and in rebounding.

At the same time, the Falcons were able to overcome other difficulties that easily could have led to their first setback. Instead, they are one victory away from matching their school-record 18-0 start of two years ago.

Senior center Peter Merry was his usual giant self at the defensive end with nine rebounds and four blocks and was able to deal successfully with playing with three personal fouls from late in the second quarter on, but he was shut out offensively in the second half.

Francois and starting off guard Mike Nestor were never able to get their shooting hands warmed up, thus junior guard Tre Crittendon was thrust into the spotlight and played a huge supporting role at point guard, with Allen moved to the wing to exploit his fantastic shooting night. Allen cooled off the second half, while Tre missed his first five shots, but made a monumental three-pointer from atop the key for a 41-36 lead early in the fourth and his overall floor play and defense was a key factor in the team’s fourth-quarter heroics. Nestor, too, came back to play strong defense in the fourth quarter.

But the game’s two “stars” deservedly went to the Devonn/Devan Dynamic Duo. Allen, clearly the best defensive player for the Falcons, as he showed once again last night, was 5-for-8 for threes the first half, 6-for-12 for the game, and, after getting slapped with two personal fouls in the game’s first five-plus minutes, never got assessed with a third by the shakily officiated three-man crew. He shared game-high scoring honors with Allen, each with 21. That’s 42 out of 53 points. Harris now has seven 20-plus point games to his credit this season.

Allen has emerged as a stunning clutch force in the most important games, as evidenced by last night and his brilliant play that saved the Salem game (39-37). He may be the best two-way backcourt player in the Northeastern Conference. Harris, meanwhile, could get the vote as the best two-way player among frontcourt players.

It looked for so long that Giardi’s strategy geared to Harris would work for the second straight game, his box-and-1 defense (and later an effective triangle-and-2 geared to both Clifford and Allen) using enough bodies to clog up Harris’s scoring space.

Devan had five points at the half and only eight after three quarters, when the game was tied at 34 and when it appeared the Falcons were going to suffer their first loss because primarily of their offensive complacency to settle for the three-point shot. I don’t know how many the Falcons took, but I would guess 25.

That statistic (whatever the accurate number) may inspire the Danvers coaching staff to create novel ways to maximize the 1-2 inside offensive punch of the 6-10 Merry and the 6-4 Harris, while at there same time innovating to gain better offensive operating room for Clifford to either fire away or use his underrated penetration moves.

The fourth quarter is when Danvers coach John Walsh was able to exploit the triangle-and-2 Header defense, getting Harris the ball opposite either side of the foul line with just enough room to operate for the “trey” or a move to the basket, that nine-point streak coming as he rode with four fouls.

It didn’t hurt that Marblehead scored only once from the time it was 44-all with 2:25 remaining, that coming on Spencer Craig’s three-pointer (he made several en route to a 15-point night). The Headers missed six shoots, on two three-shot sequences in the same trip down the floor, in the final half-minute.

The Danvers defensive pressure deserves acclaim once again for holding a strong offensive team to a low point total and a poor shooting percentage, though there were times when Marblehead got the upperhand.

Marblehead players lost more than the game. They lost their composure down the stretch in more ways than one, most disturbingly with their lack of sportsmanship.

As for the Falcons, another history-making season continues, a glorious journey for the players, coaching staff and fans. The kind of season that NEVER would have been imagined six years ago, and here we are: a fourth straight Northeastern Conference Small title, the clinching of a share of the mythical NEC overall tittle (a win at NEC Large champ Lynn English next Wednesday will clinch the titler outright); a chance at a fourth straight 20-win season and a shot at a third state title. A first-time unbeaten regular season (21-0 is also within the realm, but all four contests ahead loom as major challenges.

The 21st and final game is slated for Thursday at 12:30 at Rockland.

Let the challenges come forth. The Falcons will be ready to give it their best shot after a wonderfully satisfying win at Marblehead.

Another routine blowout for the Danvers High boys basketball team last night — Senior Night — in the DHS field house in the form of a 75-45 rout of Gloucester. Now 16-0, the Falcons got 23 points (and 3 3-point field goals) from Devan Harris and 18 points, buoyed by five three-pointers in 10 attempts, from Vinny Clifford, while pivot Peter Merry controlled matters inside with nine rebounds and six blocks.

As the final regular season home game (the Falcons should get two home games to start the Division 2 North tournament), the senior players honored their parents in the traditional pre-game ceremony, presenting their mothers and grandmothers with bouquets of flowers.

Coach John Walsh (when will the DHS athletic authorities name the field house basketball floor the John Walsh Court?) added to the flavor of the evening by delivering an all-senior starting five of the aforementioned trio plus Andrew Dunn and Tom Gillespie.

After a nice rendition of the national anthem by sophomore Olivia Perez (they couldn’t find a senior vocalist?) and with a good-sized contingent of “Falcon Fanatics” in their customary position in the bleachers across the floor from the Danvers bench, the home team took command early, 10-2, on the strength of several Clifford and Allen three-point bombs.

It was 25-12 after one quarter, 47-23 at intermission, and time to give the regulars much-needed rest with four games coming up the next seven days, possible five games in eight days if the twice-postponed visit to non-league Rockland can be scheduled for next Thursday, the deadline before tourney seedings and pairings are announced. All these games will be toughies, starting tonight at Marblehead (7-5 in the Northeastern Conference Small, 9-7 overall, and a narrow 46-43 loser at Danvers back on January 7, a game the Headers could easily have won. Marblehead knocked off Salem in its most impressive victory to date.

Then comes the Woburn Invitational Sunday at 1:30 versus a solid Bishop Feehan squad, weather permitting, and a matchup with either Malden Catholic or Woburn Monday, based on who wins and loses Sunday.

The long-awaited matchup with NEC Large champion (again) Lynn English, postponed by snow on January 27, is scheduled for next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the English field house. English (12-1 in the NEC, 15-2 overall), suffered its first Conference defeat last night to cross-town rival Lynn Classical, 89-80, giving Danvers a leg up in the Falcons’ quest for a third straight mythical NEC overall championship. English should have no problem with Revere tonight.

Danvers will have its hands full at Marblehead, coached by Mike Giardi, who devised an effective collapsing zone defense scheme that shut down Harris (4 points), while Clifford was limited to five points. Then-starter Rashad Francois, now playing the critical sixth-man role, led the Falcons that night with 13 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute, followed by two clutch Clifford foul shots. The Falcons blew a 41-34 lead in that one and trailed, 43-41, with 45 seconds remaining.

One has to a anticipate that Walsh may press the Headers (3-5 at home, 6-2 on the road) from the start to create, if possible, an uptempo transition offensive game for the Falcons. This observer doubts that Walsh will allow the Headers to duplicate the strategy that almost led to a huge upset win in their first meeting.

As if the Falcons don’t have enough incentive already, they need these next two wins to match the 18-0 start of the 2012-13 Falcons who went on to win a second straight Division 3 state title. The win streak ended at 18 after point guard Eric Martin was injured and held out of the two non-league tourney games they played to wrap up the regular season.

Regardless, the Falcons are capable of sweeping their remaining games, but the opponents are capable of winning every one as well.

• What’s in a name? I’ve already noted more than once the oddity that the Falcons have two Devonns/Devans on their team, sophomore starting point guard Devonn Allen and top scorer Devan Harris. I had failed to mention that Davan Walsh, a top performer on coach Pat Veilleux’s surging DHS girls varsity, makes three. Davan had 18 points in her bream’s 48-38 win last night bat Gloucester that kept Danvers’ tournament hoopoes alive. The Lady Faklcons (8-10) have won four straight and need their last two games to qualify. They host Marblehead tonight and Lynn English Friday night.
• Great to see Danvers boys super fan Mickey Ouimette back in the stands after missing a couple games with a winter ailment.
• Danvers’ five-year record under Walsh: 94-19. Walsh’s record the last three-plus seasons: 81-9.

Entering a pivotal, late regular season stretch of games, the Danvers High boys continue to be ranked among the top teams in Eastern Massachusetts according to three prime media outlets.

Taking a 15-0 record into tonight’s home game with Gloucester, the Falcons retained their No. 3 listing in the Boston Globe top 20, trailing only Division 1 powers Newton North and Catholic Memorial. Three more Division 1 teams follow Danvers — Cambridge, Mansfield and Arlington.

ESPN Boston keeps the Falcons at No. 5 in its MIAA statewide rankings, which feature Division 1 defending state champ Putnam at No. 1

The Boston Herald keeps Danvers as the No. 1 team in its Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 North “Super Six” rankings, followed by 17-0 Arlington at No. 2.

Danvers’ participation in there Woburn Invitational Sunday and Monday has been clarified.  Danvers versus Bishop Feehan at 1:30 Sunday. A win puts the Falcons on the floor Monday at 4, a loss at 12:30 Monday.

The snow keeps falling and the unbeaten Danvers High boys basketball team keeps rolling with it.

The 15-0 Falcons’ non-league joust tonight at Rockland has been postponed for a second time. It may or may not be rescheduled once again. Stay tuned.

Attention for a correction. That has a nice ring to it. The Falcons begin play in the Woburn Invitational at Woburn High SUNDAY — not Saturday as I had noted previously — taking on 14-3 Bishop Feehan at 1:30 at Woburn High. The host Tanners (9-5) and Malden Catholic (10-5) play after the Danvers game.

The winners face off Monday, as do the losers. Times too be announced as soon as possible.

The Falcons home game with Gloucester tomorrow night, is still on for 7 p.m.