Bulldog boys stop Spartans in Boverini

LYNN – The English boys basketball team was on the outside looking in last year at the conclusion of the Boverini basketball tournament … and the Bulldogs made sure they didn?t end up in a similar situation this year.They stormed back to beat St. Mary?s, 73-66, Saturday at the Classical gym to regain the title they lost last season. English opened up with a 10-0 run and led by nine (13-4) halfway through the period. But St. Mary?s, in what turned out to be a trend for the whole game, wouldn?t go quietly. The Spartans chipped away in the first and by the time the first eight minutes were history, they were only down by five (21-16).St. Mary?s blew past English in the second, as the Bulldogs managed only 12 points, six of them on two three-pointers by Stevie Collins. Meanwhile, the Spartans started asserting themselves down low, where they had a significant size and bulk advantage. By halftime, it was 37-33, St. Mary?s.?They are going to be a very good team,” English coach Mike Carr said. “They?re going to be awfully tough to beat in Division 4. They took care of the ball. We tried to pressure them on defense and couldn?t, and when we can?t, it?s hard for us.”English reeled off 10 of the next 12 points to start the third quarter to go up 40-37, with Erick Rosario scoring four, Collins three and tournament MVP Freddie Hogan (22 points) sticking in a three.But the Spartans? Dennis Bailer broke that spell with a three-pointer, and from there, St. Mary?s sprinted out to another lead, 54-48, after three quarters.St. Mary?s spread its scoring liberally through the game, which made it impossible to key on any one player. But although English wasn?t hitting from the outside as well it has in some games, the Bulldogs got some key contributions too. Johnny Hilaire went on an eight-point scoring binge to key an 8-2 English run all by himself to start the fourth quarter to tie the game at 56-56. From then on, it went back and forth.St. Mary?s last lead was 66-65, at which point English just took over. Danny Lukanda scored a basket, and then Hogan hit on a conventional three-pointer to make it 70-69. And when Rosario went sky-high to rebound a St. Mary?s miss with less than a minute to go, all St. Mary?s could do was foul.?We?re still learning,” said Carr. “We got a lot of key contributions today. (Johnny) Hilare really stepped up, and I thought Lukanda was outstanding. He plays with a lot of passion.?Rosario was outstanding too,” he said. “He has that point guard mentality. He?s fearless.”?We didn?t execute at the end the way we?d have liked,” said St. Mary?s coach Dave Brown. “They forced us into some turnovers.?We really wanted this,” said Brown, “and once we get it, we don?t intend to give it back. We want to keep it for a while.”Anthony Silfa had 22 points for St. Mary?s, with Curtis Lockett and Bailer finishing with 12 each.Collins had 15 points, Hilaire 14 and Lukanda 10 for English.In the consolation game, Kyle Doucette had 15 points and Monte Wolfe 14 to lead Classical to a 58-34 win over Tech. Odell Tiggs had 17 for Tech.The all-tournament team consisted of Doucette, Tiggs, Silfa, Rosario and Hogan.