Basketball: English boys, St. Mary’s girls fall in OT

The Lynn English boys? and St. Mary?s girls? basketball teams both rank among the tops in Massachusetts but on Tuesday they came up against stiff competition and lost heartbreaking overtime games.
The Bulldogs needed three Stevie Collins free throws late in regulation to force overtime, before falling, 88-87, to Everett.
The St. Mary?s girls saw their 15-game win streak come to a halt as Chelmsford scored six straight points late in overtime and then hung on for a 70-68 win.
The Spartans (6-1) had a balanced attack that saw four players score in double figures, led by 21 points from freshman Marnelle Garraud, whose two conventional three-point plays in the final minute of regulation helped send the game to overtime.
?I?d rather lose by two (Tuesday) if it helps us win by two in March,” St. Mary?s coach Jeff Newhall said. “That?s why we play these kind of games.”
St. Mary?s got 17 points from Gianna Moschella along with 13 from freshman Olivia Nazaire and 11 by senior Kayla Carter. Chelmsford?s Claire Markey led all scorers with 27 points.
?They are one of the top teams in the (Merrimack Valley Conference) and it showed,” Newhall said. “But our fight and refuse to lose was exceptional.”
The Bulldogs (5-1) had a 59-57 lead entering the fourth quarter before Everett began to rally behind Ghared Boyce and Gary Clark, who each finished with a team-high 21 points for the Crimson Tide.
Everett eventually opened up a five-point lead with a minute to go in regulation. English cut the lead to three when Collins was fouled on a three-point attempt to tie with just over one second remaining. He hit all three shots to force overtime.
But, the Crimson Tide outscored English, 9-8, in the extra session for the win.
The Bulldogs attack was led by a game-high 29 points from senior guard Erick Rosario. Junior swingman Anthony Silfa added 23 while Collins finished with 17 and Johnny Hilaire added 10. Everett had four in double figures with Jordan McAfee adding 15 points and Jonathan Cassius, 10 to go along with Clark and Boyce?s efforts.
?My kids showed the heart that we have,” English coach Mike Carr said. “As a fan, I?m sure it was exciting. But it didn?t quite end the way that we wanted.”
BOYS? BASKETBALL
Masco 65, Beverly 63
The Panthers (0-4) trailed by as many as 15 in the first half before storming back to tie the game in the fourth quarter. But Masco buried a shot with just over one second left in regulation to come away with the victory.
Sam Traicoff had 16 points to lead four Beverly. Gavin Sparkman had 15 while Kyle Costa and Pat Gavin each had 12.
Swampscott 65, Lynn Tech 31
The Tigers (0-6) had to play without leading scorer Michael Anaya who was out with an illness, but they hung tough for a half before Swampscott (2-3) pulled away. Travis Thurman had a game-high 24 points to lead Swampscott, who also got 10 points and 10 rebounds from Mike Spinola. Arlen Reynoso had 10 points to lead Tech.
GIRLS? BASKETBALL
Everett 47, Saugus 35Olivia Valente had 10 points to lead the Sachems (0-4).