LOWELL — Lynn English accomplished what no other Bay State team could this year.
The Bulldogs flustered Central Catholic to the point of bewilderment.
Forcing 30 turnovers, including 16 on steals, English ended Central's bid for a state championship repeat with a gate-to-wire 71-60 victory before about 4,000 fans in the Division 1 North title game last night at Tsongas Arena.
"Their athleticism one-through-nine was just too much to deal with,'' said Central coach Rick Nault after the upset loss. "We're not a great ballclub taking care of the basketball, but we're not as bad as we were tonight. It had a lot to do with their pressure defense.
"They made us play a hectic game, helter-skelter. They made us play sloppy."
Central, which finishes at 23-2 (the other loss was to American Heritage of Florida), never had the lead and pulled even just once, at 2-2.
"We really messed up in the first half, and that was so tough to overcome," said senior Billy Marsden.
Somehow, despite all the carelessness with the basketball and a money game from English junior Ryan Woumn (game-high 25 points), Central still managed to make things interesting.
Trailing by as many as 16 points in the third, the Raiders, behind Marsden — Who else? — electrified the faithful with a wild flurry in the fourth.
A Marsden three, from well behind the NBA arc, sliced it to five at 62-57 with 2:21 left.
"Billy got going in the second half, but we never got really comfortable," said Nault. "I thought we had something, I really did. I thought, 'Could the magic happen one more time?' It just didn't work out that way."
Twice, the Raiders had the ball with a chance to make it a one possession game, but came up with a turnover and a missed three-pointer.
Marsden, attacked by two defenders every time he touched the ball, closed out his career with a team-high 24 points. Junior Carson Desrosiers added 15 points and nine rebounds and six blocks. No other Raider even approached double figures.
Woumn, the Northeastern Conference MVP, simply refused to let Central back in it. With Central turning the tide earlier in the fourth at 52-45, Woumn attacked the hoop and scored twice, over the 6-10 Desrosiers. His steal and lay-in at the four-minute mark was a killer.
"He showed why he's the captain of our team tonight," said English coach Buzzy Barton. "He's been doing it all year long. We spread the floor, and we know he can take anybody one on one."
Lynn English will face 23-0 Brockton in the state semifinals tomorrow at 7:45 p.m. at the TD Banknorth Garden.
Repeat champions
Central made a run at becoming only the sixth repeat Division 1 state champion since the modern tourney format was adopted in 1972:
Years%Team%Comment
2005-06%Newton North%Boasted brilliant backcourt with Anthony Gurley and Corey Lowe
1995-96%South Boston%Boasted three Division 1 scholarship players
1993-94%New Bedford%Three-time All-Scholastic Marcus Wills led the Whalers
1988-89%Durfee%Mike Herren was the go-to player
1974-75%Boston English%City powerhouse
Notes: The Patrick Ewing-led Cambridge teams won 1979-81 but had to forfeit the 1980 crown. There was no state final in 1982-83.
Lynn English 71, Central Catholic 60
Division 1 North Final
at Tsongas Arena, Lowell
Lynn English (71): Ryan Woumn 11 1-2 25, Travonne Berry-Rogers 6 5-8 17, Justin Young 2 0-0 6, Jeremy Subervi 1 0-0 2, Charlie Rucker 3 3-5 9, Archie Allen 2 2-2 6, Gene Turner 2 1-4 6, Totals 27 12-21 71
Central Catholic (60): Michael Alvarez 1 2-4 4, Luis Puello 0 2-2 2, Billy Marsden 5 11-12 24, Jose Pena 2 0-0 4, Tim Wheeler 0 0-0 0, Michael Garcia 0 0-0 0, Zak Adamopoulos 0 0-0 0, Matt Torrisi 0 0-0 0, Benny Fernandez 1 3-4 5, Jimmy Zenevitch 3 0-0 6, Carson Desrosiers 5 4-4 15, Totals 17 22-26 60
Lynn English (24-2): 16 17 17 21 — 71
Central Catholic (23-2): 14 8 17 21 — 60
3-pointers: LE — Woumn 2, Young 2, Turner; CC — Marsden 3, Desrosiers
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