English rally falls short against Prep

DANVERS – There?s a certain psychology to comebacks … and it is that you need to complete them.This isn?t to be wise. Sunday night at St. John?s Prep, the English basketball team was down by 19 points to the Eagles in the beginning of the third quarter of the IAABO basketball tournament nightcap. But over the rest of the quarter, English put on a huge spurt that carried over into the fourth period, and saw the Bulldogs tie the game with just over three minutes to go.That, however, was as far as English got. St. John?s reasserted itself and won, 67-55, to advance to the finals of the tournament it hosted for the first time this season (it had been at Central Catholic since its inception). The Prep will play Andover tonight (7:15) in a rematch of an MIAA North tournament game last year that had a clock controversy mar the ending.English will play at 3:45 in the consolation game against Everett.With 3:07 left in the game, Erick Rosario swished a three-pointer that pulled the Bulldogs into a 53-53 tie (the first time they?d been tied, let alone led).?We knew they?d put on a spurt,” said St. John?s coach John Dullea. “They?re a good team, and all through the second half we?d have trouble keeping Rosario out of the lane. If he didn?t shoot it himself, he?d dish it off to someone who?d score.?We didn?t play good defense in the second half,” said Dullea.?This has been the story of our season,” said English coach Mike Carr. “Sometimes, you have to come back like that and once you?re there, you tend to lose a little energy.”English would score only two more points the rest of the way while the Eagles put together a 14-2 run to close out the game.?On our bench,” said Dullea, “we kept saying we can?t let them take the lead. I think if they?d been able to go up by a couple, that would have made a big difference to them.”Carr is working with a short bench these days, yet he acknowledges that his team has to play like it?s behind even when it?s not.?For us to win,” he said, “we have to keep the pressure on defensively. Every minute. We almost have to play like we?re behind by 15 points and that?s asking a lot sometimes, especially since we?re only going six- and seven-deep, especially with the tournament coming around.”The first half was all Prep, as the Eagles allowed English only eight first-quarter points.?We only scored 21 in the half,” said Carr, “and that?s not us.”The big gun for the Eagles was Kareem Davis, who poured in 17 points in the first 16 minutes (23 for the game).?He was tremendous,” said Carr. “They shoot the ball so well, and they stretch us out on defense, that we couldn?t do what we wanted to.”Danny Lukanda (16 points) and Fred Hogan (11, all in the second half) keyed the Bulldogs? third-quarter comeback. After falling behind 42-34, Hogan hit two quick threes and Lukanda hit a basket and a free throw to complete a 9-0 run. Then, after Ben Judson (15 points) hit two free throws, English was back for a 14-7 run to close out the quarter.The Dogs opened the fourth period on a 5-2 run, culminating in Rosario?s three that tied the score.