Watch Sweet 16 Teams for Free at the Garden on Wednesday

Teams will be practicing at the Garden in Boston and the public is welcome to attend for free. The Sweet 16 starts on Thursday.

Maybe you can't afford the tickets for the Sweet 16 games at The Garden in Boston starting on Thursday in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. But you can still get some live glimpses of the four squads, for free, while they practice on Wednesday. The public is welcome to attend four practice sessions for the four Sweet 16 teams. The Garden's doors will open at 11 a.m. Wisconsin is practicing at noon. Cincinnati is at 1 p.m. Syracuse is at 2 p.m. Ohio State is at 3 p.m. Syracuse will face Wisconsin and Ohio State will square off against Cincinnati on Thursday night.

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SEASON PREVIEW: English Boys Basketball

“We are short, small, and scrappy,” said Blue and Blue coach Barry Robinson.

With the temperatures dropping and the days becoming shorter, that means the high school basketball season is set to commence. Leading English High School into this year’s campaign are seniors Tyrone Williams (power forward) and Wiley Shipman (small forward). Blue and Blue Coach Barry Robinson had praise for both captains, noting they are “doing a fantastic job. This is their team.” The coach, who said he has groomed Williams for the position since last spring, had additional superlatives for the young man. “He has really taken hold of the leadership role,” said Robinson. “He’s the best captain I’ve ever had.” Williams and Shipman will captain a team that lacks height, but makes up for it in its tenacity. “We are short, small, and scrappy…

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SEASON PREVIEW: English Girls Basketball

The Blue and Blue return four varsity players.

With only four varsity players returning, the English High School girls basketball team is looking to integrate a host of greenhorns into the program this upcoming season. “I think a few players have experience, but with all the new girls, we are still trying to gel as a team,” said Blue and Blue head coach Justine Grace. Two of those veterans coming back are senior point guard Elizabeth Sun and junior guard Trayana Mair. Grace noted Sun brings the ball in for the Blue and Blue and is a great leader and passer. “She knows the game well,” said the coach. “I’m looking for her to have a huge year.” Sun will often be dishing the ball out to Mair, who was the Blue and Blue’s top scorer last year as a sophomore. “[Mair] is going to be putting up…

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PHOTO GALLERY: "Meet The Face Behind The Badge" Basketball Tournament

Boston Police officers played a neighborhood team in a friendly tournament.

On Sunday, Boston Police officers played a team of neighborhood youth in the "Meet the Face Behind the Badge" basketball tournament at Bromley-Heath. JP photographer Courtney Sacco captured these images.

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English Boys Basketball Defeat Mirrors Season

The Blue and Blue lose to Latin Academy, 75-57.

In a game that epitomized its season, the English High School boys basketball team lost to Latin Academy, 75-57, Sunday during the semi-final contest of the Brookline basketball tournament. “We went up and down,” said Blue and Blue head coach Barry Robinson. “It was typical of our season.” With the defeat, English falls to 6-12. The Blue and Blue dug themselves a hole to start the game letting Latin Academy get out to a 13-4 lead. But they battled back to cut the deficit to six and shut the Dragons down in the second quarter. Those efforts were erased by what Robinson described as “dumb fouls” in the second half, which would lead to English’s defeat. Freshman point guard Antwain Williams played well off the bench and Robinson said he has “…

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Senior Night at English High School

The Blue & Blue paid tribute to their senior players.

Every Thursday at 1 pm, we'll bring you a photo gallery of people and places in the neighborhood. Here are some scenes from Senior Night for the English High School boys basketball squad. The Blue & Blue fell to New Mission, 67-45.

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English Girls Basketball Closes In On Playoffs

The Blue and Blue defeat Dorchester, 61-43.

Oh, so close. The English High School girls basketball team is one victory away from the postseason tournament after beating Boston City (South) League-foe Dorchester, 61-43, Tuesday. “It was an all right game,” said Blue and Blue head coach Justine Grace. “We are definitely a more skilled team, but we came out a little flat footed. We ended strong, though.” With the victory, English improves to 7-8 on the season. Leading the Blue and Blue in scoring was once again sophomore guard Trayana Mair who netted 19 points and added 6 rebounds. Teammate Ashley Louis-Jean scored 14 points. “She really stepped it up,” Grace said about Mair. “Our offense got her open. She can make the shots.” English has two remaining games in the season, both of …

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Determined English Girls Basketball Sunk By Turnovers

The Blue and Blue lose to Burke, 61-43.

A resolute effort was not enough for the English High School girls basketball team Monday as giveaways derailed the Blue and Blue in a 61-43 loss to Boston City (South) League-foe Burke. “I’m proud of my girls,” said English head coach Justine Grace. “They didn’t give up. We had a couple of good runs that brought us within five or six points, but we had too many turnovers.” With the defeat, the Blue and Blue slip to 6-8 on the season. Sophomore guard Trayana Mair had her second consecutive team-high scoring game netting 13 points while teammates Elizabeth Sun and Ashley Louis-Jean both drained 12 points. “She had a decent game,” Grace said about Mair. “She was a little off shooting-wise, but that was because of [Burke’s] defense.” English …

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Pressure Unravels English Boys Basketball

The Blue and Blue lose to West Roxbury, 77-49.

In the end, the English High School boys basketball team could not handle the defensive pressure Friday resulting in a 77-49 loss to Boston City (South) League-foe West Roxbury. “We had everything going our way,” said Blue and Blue head coach Barry Robinson. “But we had  a serious meltdown.” English was leading at halftime 34-31, but West Roxbury switched to a full-court press in the remaining portion of the contest. That forced the Blue and Blue to turn the ball over 17 times. “That was it right there,” said Robinson. “We couldn’t handle their pressure.” The coach went on to say that junior guard Wiley Shipman performed notably off the bench and his “speed, quickness, and agility” lends to a promising future. “He has the potential to be …

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Teamwork Lifts English Girls Basketball to Victory

The Blue and Blue defeat West Roxbury, 61-46.

Gelling as a unit, the English High School girls basketball team defeated Boston City (South) League-foe West Roxbury, 61-46, Friday. “It was a pretty good game,” said Blue and Blue head coach Justine Grace. “I was proud of the girls. They worked as a team.” English, which improves to 6-7 on the season, played without Tiana McQueen (ACL injury) and Ashley Louis-Jean (discipline issues). McQueen found out she had a torn ACL a week and a half ago and will undergo surgery in March. Filling in for Louis-Jean at the point guard position was Elizabeth Sun, who netted 15 points and added six assists. Teammate Trayana Mair led the way for the Blue and Blue with 22 points, and at one time scored 12 in a row. “She lit it up,” Grace said about Mair. …

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