LYNN — It’s been a magical season already for coach Trevor Gagnier and his Apponequet girls basketball team. On Monday, a little hardware came the Lakers’ way.

Senior Cecelia Levrault scored a game-high 20 points while freshman sensation Kyla Claro added 19 as the Lakers won for the 20th time in 21 games, holding off a pesky Central Catholic team, 52-43, to win the Spartan Classic.

“The kids dug deep in that second half and were able to get the job done,” Gagnier said. “Credit to Central Catholic. They kept fighting and made some shots. But we were able to fight through it.”

For much of the afternoon, it felt like Apponequet was going to breeze to its 20th win as it opened up a 45-31 lead through three quarters. But just as quick as the Lakers opened up that lead, the Raiders (8-12) began to chip away at the deficit.

Freshman Addie Holmes-Lavallee hit four of six free throws before McKenna Devanney scored four of the next six points as the lead had quickly been cut to 45-41 with 3:10 left.

The Lakers called a timeout and got the ball into their senior leaders’ hands. Levrault drove to the basket for an old-fashioned three-point play that made it 48-41.

The Raiders cut the lead to five in the final minute, but Apponequet put the game away at the line from there.

“Cecelia has done things like that all year for us,” Gagnier said. “She dictates the tempo on offense and defense and had some key baskets for us.”

Claro did most of her damage in the first quarter where she put up 12 points, but Central still held a 16-14 lead.

Levrault did all the scoring in a 10-5 Lakers run to begin the second before Megan Suneson’s buzzer-beating layup made it 26-24 at the half.

Apponequet kept right on scoring at the start of the third as the extended run eventually reached 17-2 on back-to-back threes by Hannah Kuruscak to make it 41-26 with 3:01 left in the frame, setting up Central’s gallant try at a comeback down the stretch.