On its Christmas Night with students wearing Santa hats and snowflake sweaters, the Beverly basketball team hosted English on Friday night, but it was the Bulldogs who brought down the holiday cheer with a 94-65 victory.
The Bulldogs have started the season with four consecutive games of 80 or more points. Friday, it was the duo of sophomore Warren Keel Jr. (38 points, eight assists) and senior Tyrese Melo Garcia (26 points, eight threes) who shined.
“They’re both special talents. They’re a duo, they’re very talented and competitive, and they showed that tonight,” English head coach Alvin Abreu said.
Melo Garcia’s hot hand connected on four of the Bulldogs’ five threes in the opening frame, one that ended 28-15 in favor of English.
“Tyrese [Melo Garcia] carried us early. He came out of the gates hot,” English head coach Alvin Abreu said.
Other highlights of the first included English’s Joshua St. Jean pinning the ball on a chasedown block, and Keel Jr. slicing through the Panthers’ defense for a smooth finish.
Using its size and positioning, English grabbed several offensive rebounds, and despite getting open looks, Beverly was cold until the final stretches of the first quarter.
Beverly junior Ryder Frost brought the home crowd to its feet in the second quarter, converting a tough and one with St. Jean all over him. The Panthers cut the lead to 34-26, forcing Abreu to call a timeout.
Like clockwork, the 8-0 run came to an end with Melo Garcia connecting on a catch-and-shoot triple. With 3:13 remaining in the second, he hit another from the corner to put English back up 42-29, his sixth of seven threes in the half.
“It’s our first time we’ve had a road game. I told our guys we’re going to be challenged,” Abreu said. “Our guys stepped up to the challenge today and did a good job. I’m proud of them.”
After Nelson Obarisiagbon finished a basket plus the foul, and Keel Jr. took things coast to coast to beat the buzzer, English led 53-38 at halftime.
Keel Jr. didn’t let the break slow him down. After a scoping layup off an up-and-under, a three, and a layup off a steal, English went up 60-40 just three minutes into the third.
Every time the Panthers started to make a run, Melo Garcia intervened. His eighth three of the game halted Beverly’s momentum after a three and a fastbreak score. After each side traded layups to close the third, English led 76-54.
Beverly’s Dylan Crowley began the fourth with a three and a mid-range jumper, forcing English to call a conservative timeout up 19.
“You have to be able to deal with adversity, stay poised, stay composed,” Abreu said. “Teams are going to make their runs, but I think we’ve proven early we’ve been able to weather team’s runs and rely on our identity, which is defense.”
Melo Garcia came out of the game and was limping on the sideline, unable to return for the remainder of the game. Despite the sharpshooter being on the bench, nothing was stopping his partner in crime, Keel Jr. The righty sidestepped to his left before burying another three pointer to put English up 88-63.
“Just trying to make sure I’m doing everything [I can] to help the team win,” Keel Jr. said. “We’re just a hard-fought team.”
Then came the exclamation point on a dominant night for English. St. Jean was all alone on a fastbreak and threw down a thunderous two-handed dunk. The Bulldogs escaped Beverly with a win, and will return to action against KIPP on Tuesday at Classical High with tip-off set for 1:30 p.m. That said, if you ask Keel Jr., his team will be ready no matter who’s in line.
“I just like the energy, we’re always so excited,” Keel Jr. said. “Everybody’s just ready to go.”
