English wins third straight Boverini girls hoop title

LYNN – There’ll be talk of three-peat in the halls of Lynn English over the next year, as the girls hoopsters captured the Boverini Tournament title for the third straight season.The Bulldogs used a 14-2 run to kick off the final quarter, as they overcame Classical, 50-39, at Cavanagh Field House.Click here for a photo gallery from the tournament.”That’s the first of the three goals that we always set each year, to be the city champions,” said English coach Fred Hogan. “When I first started here four years ago, we were 4-16, and (we) were 1-1 in the Boverini. We’ve been 7-1 overall in the tourney, and to win this three years in a row is a great thing for us.”The Rams (2-3) scored the final four points of the third to cut the deficit to eight entering the final quarter. However, when the fourth quarter began, English guard Jenicia Duggins connected on a short jumper and then added a free throw to extend the lead to 11 (37-26). Teammate Brianna Vaughan then took an outlet pass from tourney MVP Jeannette Anderson (18 points) to increase the lead. After a Classical bucket by guard Tashanna Brown, Anderson scored from underneath. Vaughan added a three-pointer, with Anderson netting the final pair of baskets to end the 14-2 run hat gave the Bulldogs a 48-28 edge.Down by 18 late in the contest (50-32), Classical scored the game’s final seven points.”We were down by seven at the half, and we continued to fight,” said Classical coach Tom Sawyer. “We have a lot of inexperienced players, and they’re still learning how to play, but they handled the pressure very well.”Both teams struggled at the outset. Anderson registered the game’s first point with almost two minutes having been played, while she added the initial field goal of the contest, a three-pointer, with over four minutes having been played, to give English (5-0) a 4-2 edge. The Rams closed the gap to 11-6, but English netted the final five points of the opening stanza (including a three-spot by Miranda Hogan) for a 16-6 lead after the quarter.”We were very sloppy, and Classical made us play right into their hands,” Coach Hogan said. “But we never got down at all.”The Rams outscored English 6-2 to begin the third, as forward Pierina Mora added a bucket with a pair of free throws, and teammate Hannah Byrne (12) helped to take advantage of missed opportunities by English to bring the Lady Rams to 25-22. However, Duggins made a three-point play (basket and free throw) to bring the lead back to 6, and baskets by Linh Nguyen and Duggins pushed the lead back to 12 late in the quarter (34-22).”Duggins is a very special player, and she’s our quarterback and leader on the court,” said Hogan.Anderson led all scorers with 18. She added 15 boards, putting her 12 away from 1,000 for her career.”Jeannette had four fouls on her, and she came back, and scored eight while still in foul trouble,” said the coach. “She’s a great player, and we’re going to miss her tremendously next year.”St. Mary’s overcame Tech, 59-23, to take the consolation game. The Spartans (4-2) had four players in double digits. Fanice Jean-Baptiste led the Tigers (0-4) with 13.Rounding out the tourney all-stars were Duggins, Byrne, Jean-Baptiste, Olivia Dupree (English), and Cassi Amenta (St. Mary’s).