RallyNorth.net

LAWRENCE — Championship teams always rely on their best players to shine when the spotlight is brightest.
And Tuesday night in the Division 1 North semifinals, Central Catholic got huge games from standouts George Smith, Kevin Constant and Jalen Aquino as the No. 3-seed Raiders outlasted No. 2 Lowell, 67-61, in a wild battle between MVC rivals in front of a crowd of 2,500 vocal fans.
Smith led the way with 22 points, which included four free throws in the final 11 seconds, Constant had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks and Aquino had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The talented trio, who were complemented with a more than solid game from Cam Homsey, who had two 3-pointers and was 4 for 5 from the field while netting 10 points, will now take the Raiders to Saturday’s 7:45 p.m. North finals at the Tsongas Arena against No. 1 seed Lynn English.
“This is huge and probably the biggest win I’ve had because we’re going to the North finals,” said an excited Smith. “We went when I was a freshman but this is bigger because I’m more of a leader.”
Smith not only was lethal on the line but he carried the Raiders in the second quarter. With Central trailing 17-16 after the first quarter, Smith had 12 of the team’s 14 points in the second quarter. That, plus an energetic defense which forced 10 Lowell turnovers in the frame, gave the Raiders a 31-30 halftime lead.
“George Smith just doesn’t want to lose and will do whatever it takes,” said Central coach John Walsh. “You want him to take charge in a game like this.”
In the third quarter, it was Aquino who took charge. Held scoreless in the first half, he nailed two 3-pointers and had 10 points as the Raiders had a superb quarter, hitting 10 of 13 from the floor and outscoring Lowell 23-13 to take a 53-42 lead into the fourth quarter.
Moreover, Aquino held Lowell sharpshooter Carlos Nunez, who had four 3-pointers in the first half for 14 of his team-high 22 points to just one point in the third quarter.
“I felt like I was overplaying him (Nunez) in the beginning,” said Aquino. “I felt (at halftime) that I wasn’t doing everything I’m capable of. I felt like I had to leave everything on the floor in the second half.”
Constant, meanwhile, was a force throughout the game, scoring nine points in the first quarter and contributing on defense all game. Not known as a deep threat, his second 3-pointer of the game, with 2:02 left, gave Central a five-point cushion, 60-55, allowing the Raiders to seal it on the line.
Lowell stayed close throughout the second half thanks to Nunez and the acrobatic drives of Justin Villanueva (13 points) and Rashawn Settles (10), but its shooting tailed off in the second half and its 21 turnovers proved costly.
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to these kids,” said Walsh. “Every one of them came to play today and the defense came through when we needed it.
“I didn’t know what to expect from this team at the beginning of the year, but it’s really come on. I thought, after we won at Andover, we started to put things together and that this might be possible.”

LOWELL — Carlos Nunez scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, and Lowell held on to beat Lawrence, 72-65, Tuesday night.

"Lowell is a very good team," said Lawrence coach Jesus Moore. "They're very tough and scrappy, and they play well together. They're a tough-minded team."

LOWELL — Carlos Nunez scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, and Lowell held on to beat Lawrence, 72-65, Tuesday night.

"Lowell is a very good team," said Lawrence coach Jesus Moore. "They're very tough and scrappy, and they play well together. They're a tough-minded team."