Andover High Girls Hoops Coach Reflects On State Title, Perfect Season

ANDOVER, MA — Andover girls basketball coach Alan Hibino said this year's Warriors team turned an important saying within the program into a way of life.

"We have a saying in our program that 'everything matters,'" Hibino told Patch. "The girls embodied that in their preparations leading into this season and the way they went about preparing and competing throughout this winter season."

That meticulous preparation and attention to detail led to the most memorable of seasons as the Warriors went a perfect 26-0, capping off the campaign Friday night with a 55-51 win over Bishop Feehan (20-5) in the MIAA Division 1 girls state championship game at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

It was Andover's sixth state championship —2003, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2020 — though the team shared the 2020 crown with Franklin after the final was canceled due to the pandemic.

However, it was a loss in the 2022 state championship game — a 43-40 setback to Springfield Central — that really helped propel this year's Golden Warriors squad to glory, according to Hibino.

"Winning a state championship will always be the goal for the Lady Warriors," Hibino said. "Our senior class committed themselves and dedicated themselves to getting back to the state championship game after making it to the finals their junior year."

All season, Andover was led by the dynamic senior duo of Anna Foley, who has committed to Quinnipiac, and Amelia Hanscom, who will play at Colby College. Foley, a 6-foot-3 forward, entered the championship game averaging a team-high 16.2 point per game, while Hanscom, a 5-11 guard, entered with a 12.8 ppg scoring average.

The pair didn't disappoint in the championship game, with Foley leading the way with 20 points and Hanscom adding 18 for the top-seeded Warriors.

"Anna Foley and Amelia Hanscom were amazing leaders and teammates on and off the court and they were going to do everything possible to make sure we achieved our goal of a state championship," Hibino said.

Hibino added: "They have had an incredible four-year career, which will go down as one of the best runs in Andover High School history. They leave the program in a better place than when they entered the high school four years ago, and the legacy they leave behind will hopefully inspire the next generation of Lady Warrior basketball players."

Hibino said the team's other seniors —Marissa Kobelski, Kathleen Yates and Ari White — also were instrumental to the team's success.

"They were the heart and soul of our team and our program. We would not be nearly as successful without all of their contributions to our program," Hibino said.

Next year, the Golden Warriors figure to build around two returning juniors, guard Michaela Buckley and forward Ella Vidoni. Buckley had six points in the title game, while Vidoni added five.

"(Buckley and Vidoni) had outstanding junior seasons, and the experience that they gained from this season and this year's postseason run will prove invaluable going forward," Hibino said.

Hibino said another important contributor to Andover's success was a former college basketball player turned mental performance coach.

Kaleb Joseph, a Nashua, New Hampshire native who played basketball collegiately at Creighton and Syracuse, is the owner and founder of Self Help Tour. Joseph worked with the Warriors on the mental side of the game.

"The work that he did with our program allowed us to grow as a team, as individuals and as a program," Hibino said. "(Joseph) helped us visualize success, play confidently and to handle any adversity or unexpected issues that would arise over the course of the season."