Boys Hoop: English clinches share of NEC North crown

One week ago, the English basketball team lost to Marblehead and looked like it had squandered its chance to win another NEC North title.Low how things can change in a hurry.The Bulldogs beat Salem on Tuesday and then came out Friday on the road and led by 29 points from Keandre Stanton, steamrolled Beverly, 91-69, to clinch a share of the league title.?We knew this was a big game,” English coach Mike Carr said. “We played with intensity and were able to pressure the way we want to.”English (12-4, 10-4 NEC North) set the tone early, scoring the game?s first eight points en route to a 20-9 lead after one.?We got off to a tough start and that?s not a team that you can play catch up against,” Beverly coach Scott Lewis said.The Bulldogs pushed the lead to 38-24 at the half and then put up 29 third quarter points to seal the win. Freddie Hogan had 19 points and freshman Stevie Collins added 16 for English.Beverly (10-7, 8-6) got 13 points from Dom Abate and eight apiece from Jon Birchoff and Ty Suggs.Chelsea 62, Tech 53At the O?Connor Gym, Michael Duarte led the Tigers with 26 points while Ronnie Williams had 18 and Mangola Mbangu had 14.?We stayed with them for three quarters,” said coach Marvin Avery, whose team fell to 4-12 and will not make the post-season tournament for the first time ni his long tenure with the team, “but their size wore us down in the fourth quarter.Click here for a photo gallery.?Chelsea is a very good team,” Avery said. “I?m proud of our kid for hanging in.”Tech led at the half, 33-32 and after three, 46-45.?It was a great high school game,” Avery said.”I feel bad my two seniors aren?t going to be in the tournament, but they?re giving it their all.”The Tigers are back in action at Swampscott (5, time change).Spellman 58, St. Mary?s 44At Brockton, the Spartans (15-4) couldn?t sustain the offensive intensity against a tough Spellman team. Nick Gagliolo had 22 points and Devin Thompson , 12 points.?This is a really good team,” St. Mary?s coach Kevin Moran said. “We?re always battling with them ? Our guys tried. We were aggressive the whole night. We did a good job defensively, but the offense was a little lax.”Peabody 58, Classical 50At Classical, the Rams pulled out the first meeting between the two teams in overtime, but the Tanners owned this one. Senior captain Jason Hiou (20 points) hit a couple of big shots in the fourth quarter and Jared McCarron (8 points) nailed a three with about a minute left to stave off the Rams.Classical (8-9) was led by Uche Nwokeji (13 points) and Derek Edmonds, 12 points.Danvers 73, Saugus 39At Danvers, the Sachems had a 16-11 lead after one but it was all Falcons (14-2) from there as Danvers closed the half on a 20-0 run to take control.Eric Martin led the Falcons with 17 points. Nick McKenna had 14 while Jon Amico and George Merry each finished with 13.?We defended really well in the second half,” Danvers coach John Walsh said. “Saugus took it to us a little bit in the first quarter.”Swampscott 59,Gloucester 43At Swampscott, the Big Blue (7-10) had a comfortable lead at the half and were never in trouble. Val Temin had 14 points, Mike Walsh, 12 points and A.J. Baker, 11. Swampscott was without Dan Santanello and Gloucester was minus Brian St. Pierre. Both were out sick. Jason Vizena had 15 points for the Fishermen.Salem 60, Revere 55At Revere, the Witches (9-6) trailed by five at the half and by double figures early in the third before closing strong to take the lead for good.Christian Dunston had a game-high 27 for Salem, who got 12 from Billy Muse and seven from Emelio Beato. The Patriots had 14 points from Michael Dreeszen.Winthrop 62,Marblehead 45At Winthrop, the Vikings brought the Magicians? six-game winning streak to a screeching half. Quinton Dale, who got in some foul trouble, finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and five steals. The Vikings, who shot 17-for-25 from the line, also got a lift from Erving DeJesus, who scored eight (including two big three