BOSTON - Cinderella Men, CinderLawrence, the CinderLancers.
Call them what you will, but the Lawrence Lancers made one of the most impressive runs in the MIAA boys' basketball tournament in recent memory.
Emphasis on "made." The dream came to an end Friday night at TD Garden as the top-ranked St. John's Prep Eagles eliminated the 15th-seeded Lancers, 87-73.
Much like Mansfield before them, the Lancers had the majority of the crowd behind them. But that didn't stop a trio of Eagles from reaching double digits in points - Steve Haladyna (17), Pat Connaughton (28), and the game's leading scorer, Mike Carbone (31).
After knocking off Cambridge, Westford, and Lynn English, the Lancers were within striking distance of slaying another giant, up 23-17 after one and down 47-46 at halftime.
Then Carbone drank his red Gatorade in the locker room and played like a man possessed. His 15 points in the third quarter alone (via five of his seven threes on the game) ignited the Eagles student section and ballooned the Prep lead to 68-56 at the end of three.
The Lancers (16-9) were playing not only for their school, but for the city they call home, and for former LHS star Hector Paniagua, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a shooting six years ago. Even after falling behind to start the fourth, they hung in there thanks to Jaylen Alicea's 30 points, just short of his tournament average. But what truly swung the game in the Eagles' favor was getting Lancers center Jesse Hiraldo his fourth foul early in the third and his fifth midway through the fourth. With the 6'6" senior out of the picture, 6'4" Connaughton had free reign to box out and collect 16 rebounds against the likes of Trevon Farley (6'1"), Francis Spraus (6'1"), and Roberto Speing (also 6'4", but a freshman).
The Eagles (23-1) will return to the Garden Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. to face the Mansfield Hornets. The winner will advance to the DCU Center next Saturday to play for the Division 1 state championship.
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