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Alicea, Lancers headed to Garden

READING — To think that nine days ago, 8-12 Chelmsford pushed Lawrence High to the limit, leading the Lancers by eight deep into the third quarter in their Division 1 North prelim.

Those once limp Lancers — on the verge of being the first knocked out — have outlasted them all. Last night before about 1,200 fans in the North semis, No. 15 Lawrence added No. 3 seed Lynn English to their list of postseason victims, 75-67.

All that's left now is No. 1 St. John's Prep. And that monster collision is the main event tomorrow night, 8:30 p.m., in what should be a rocking TD Garden.

"I wish I could say it's coaching but I sincerely don't believe it is," said Lawrence coach Paul Neal, whose club had also polished off No. 2 Cambridge and No. 7 Westford on the way to their first North finals appearance since 2005.

"It's just a group of guys who have finally decided what it means to them to win. They're willing themselves to win. Every team we play is bigger, quicker, has more advantages than we do, but they're finding a way simply because they want to win."

A track meet that bounced back and forth through two-and-a-half quarters ultimately swung Lawrence's way for good late in the third quarter.

"Coach was telling me be patient, I'd have my time," said Yadoris Arias, whose time proved to be the final three minutes of the third.

With Lawrence trailing, 44-38, Arias banked home a rebound to kick-start the flurry. He then went wing to wing, burying back-to-back threes to stun English, which suddenly trailed, 46-44.

Out of a timeout, Jaylen Alicea stole the inbounds and scored on a conventional three-point play, and from there the Lancers would not be headed.

English would close the margin to three twice more, with Alicea answering on a coast-to-coast drive and Arias swishing his fourth triple of the night.

Over the final five minutes, the ball and the game were put in Alicea's hands.

All the lightning-quick 5-foot-9 guard did from there was knock in 14 straight free throws, 17 in a row on the night and 31 in a row dating back to the final minutes of the round-of-16 game with Cambridge.

"Jaylen breaks traps, does all the little things, makes great decisions, and he's making free throws," said Neal of his fourth-quarter weapon extraordinaire.

Neal got huge contributions up and down the roster from the opening tip.

Senior big man Jesse Hiraldo held the fort inside against a longer English frontline. He pounded the glass for 17 points and 13 boards. Arias added 15 huge points, and all three of Dawrin Pereyra's three-pointers came at opportune times, answering an English run.

"We just told each other you have to believe," said Arias. "For the seniors it's our last year. We wanted to get there, and now we've gotten there."

Now the 16-8 Lancers will have to show what they can do as they face the Prep for the title.

"They're a very good team. We lost to them in the finals of the North Andover fall league," said Neal. "We're going to be a tough team to beat, and at least we have the opportunity. We're going to go out there and battle."

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• Alicea, Lancers headed to Garden