SALEM – The legendary Tom Heinsohn once said that basketball was like chess ? only it’s played much faster.If that’s the case, then Central Catholic coach Susan Downer is Bobby Fischer.You can chalk up Central’s 64-50 Division 1 North girls basketball semifinal win over English Tuesday at the Salem High Field House to a combination of Downer’s halftime adjustments and her ability to instill confidence in her team.The Raiders will face either Lowell or Andover Saturday in the sectional final at Emmanuel College in Boston.Click here for a photo gallery from Wednesday’s tournament action.The Bulldogs led at the half, 36-27, and everything seemed to be going their way. The shots were falling, the press was working, and all they had to do was hold on for 16 more minutes, and they’d be going to Boston.But, Downer said, “We were a little timid, I thought, in the first half. And you have to have confidence if you’re going to win games like this.”So I told them at halftime to get aggressive and have confidence in themselves.”The Raiders threw up a press of their own – and English simply couldn’t solve it. Central scored three quick baskets before English could respond, “and that, I think, was the momentum push we needed,” Downer said.After a Kayla Murkison bucket made it 38-33, Central reeled off five more points, punctuated by junior center Katie Zenevitch’s three-pointer (her 1,000th career point), and it was a tie game. And the Raiders never looked back.”We had trouble with their press,” admitted English coach Fred Hogan. “It was like two different games out there. We were doing very well in the first half, but they (Central) played really well in the second half.”Not only were the Raiders pressing the Bulldogs, but they were breaking English’s press.”Well obviously we scouted them,” Downer said, “and we practiced. And that’s what I told them. I told them, ‘Hey! We’ve practiced this. You know what to do.”In all, Central went from nine down to five up – a 14-point swing – going into the fourth quarter. And try as English might, Central wouldn’t let the Bulldogs get much closer. The Raiders simply smothered center Jeanette Anderson down low (she finished a stellar career with 10 points) and shut the gate when Jenicia Duggins (12 points) tried to penetrate. The Bulldogs got more consistent offense out of Miranda Hogan (11 points, including three three-pointers), and Kayla Murkison (10 points) gave them a first-half spark.For Central, Zenevitch led the way with 21 points, and Gia O’Connor and Gabie Polce scored 15 (all of Polce’s came in the second half).”Hats off to Central,” Hogan said. “I hope they do well the rest of the way. But write this down: We’ll be back.”The Bulldogs finish with a 20-4 mark.