English assistant Carr earns coaching award

Lynn English boys basketball assistant coach Mike Carr was named the North boys assistant coach of the year by the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association.Carr joined head coach Buzzy Barton’s staff last season and helped lead the Bulldogs to a sparkling 27-3 record and a berth in the Division 1 state finals, where they lost to St. John’s (Shrewsbury).”It’s nice to be recognized by your peers,” Carr said. “Last year was something that was very special. And these kids will realize that it was quite a thing that they did.”Carr came to the English bench after spending over 20 years as an assistant at Stoneham, and his experience paid big dividends for the Bulldogs.English rolled to the Northeastern Conference’s North Division title and then played its way through Cambridge, Lowell and Lexington to reach the North finals against top-seeded Central Catholic.The Bulldogs proceeded to upset the Raiders, 71-60, at Tsongas Arena in Lowell to reach the Eastern Mass. final at TD Bank Garden against unbeaten Brockton. And led by its talented cast, English prevailed 92-85 in overtime to finally reach the state finals.”To be able to go out and compete with the big boys was great,” Carr said. “It was a season that I will never forget.”