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Bonner-Prendergast knocks off Conwell-Egan

LaPri McCray-Pace was being stalked as soon as the Catholic League first-round playoff game began at Conwell-Egan on Wednesday night

Bonner-Prendergast comes from behind to beat Conwell-Egan.
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Bonner-Prendergast comes from behind to beat Conwell-Egan. )Read more(Steven M. Falk/Staff Photographer)

LaPri McCray-Pace was being stalked as soon as the Catholic League first-round playoff game began at Conwell-Egan on Wednesday night

McCray-Pace, who played his typically excellent brand of team basketball for the Eagles, was studied by Bonner-Prendergast junior guard Christian Lane.

With just seconds remaining, Lane used what he gleaned to pluck the ball from McCray-Pace near midcourt and then motored for the eventual game-winning layup in the Friars' 49-47 come-from-behind upset victory.

"I was seeing where he put the ball," said Lane, who scored the final basket with 10.7 seconds left. "He always put the ball in front or down below his waist."

Then there was the matter of the 5-foot-7, 135-pound Lane's finishing the layup with the 6-foot-2 McCray-Pace in pursuit.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God, I have to make this layup, but I have no idea where he is!" Lane said. "I was just worried about making that lefthanded layup."

The basket gave 10th-seeded B-P - which outscored C-E, 22-9, in the fourth - its first playoff win since 2011.

In 2014, the Friars finished 2-20 overall and 0-13 in league play.

Current B-P coach Jack Concannon took over the following year and led the Friars to five league wins (12-11, 5-8 in 2014) in his first season.

"This is a big win for our program," Concannon said. "The program has been down for a while. Just getting into the playoffs was a big deal for us. Whoever thought 10th place would make you feel so good, but just to get this win is good for our program."

Lane finished with 10 points and two steals. John Hargraves led the Friars (12-11, 4-9) with 11 points. Keith Washington Jr., who guarded McCray-Pace most of the game, fouled out in the fourth quarter and added 10 points.

The seventh-seeded Eagles, who haven't won a league playoff game since 1964, led, 38-27, after the third quarter.

The Friars defense, however, forced the Eagles into seven fourth-quarter turnovers.

"Coach told us to pick up our defensive intensity and not give up," Lane said.

The Friars will face top-seeded Neumann-Goretti in the quarterfinals Friday night in South Philadelphia. The semifinals will be held Feb. 17 at the Palestra.

"This is amazing," Lane said. "I wanted to go from no league wins to making the playoffs, and now we're hoping to get into the Palestra."

Bonner-Prendergast 8 8 11 22 - 49

Conwell-Egan 12 9 17 9 - 47

B-P: Christian Lane 10, Dylan Higgins 4, Keith Washington Jr. 10, John Hargraves 11, Ryan Germany 2, Mike Mercanti 2, Justin Gans 6, Magd Adelwehab 4.

C-E: LaPri McCray-Pace 11, Vinny Dalessandro 15, Kar'ron Johnson 4, Eric Esposito 3, Darian Simmons 11, Drew Burton 3.

@AceCarter