he gymnasium at Boston English has a lopsided pit design, with the stands elevated on one side, topped by an entrance/walkway where fans can lean on a back railing and shout whatever they desire at the players below.

As a result, the floor is an inverted stage, with the athletes at ground zero. But during a game last week between the English and Boston Latin junior varsity teams, not even the layout was enough to keep attention focused on the action.

Not with the members of English's highly celebrated varsity sauntering in, one by one, to take their standard, front-row seats for the JV game. Boys basketball is a major deal at English right now, and the greeting as Jason Smith, Raymond Noiles, Kareem Fitzgerald and Mamady Tonguino took their seats bordered on star-struck curiosity.

A group of women along the back railing turned to leave, but one held up a hand, explaining, ``Not yet. I want to see Lamb.''

In case he didn't know already, Raheim Lamb occupies the throne in this corner of the city. Except that it's not Raheim, or R.L. He's earned the Brazilian soccer star, one-name treatment.

Lamb.

The senior 6-foot-6 forward with the dunking baseline game has led English to the EMass Div. 1 South Sectional semifinals each of the last two years - only for the Bulldogs to falter badly each time, last year to New Bedford and two seasons ago to Attleboro.

Lamb, headed for UMass next year, has one last shot at a state title, and the conditions have never been better. The four-year starter now heads what is probably the best collection of talent in the state.

``This is a state championship-caliber team,'' he said. ``I can't wait. We're ready. This is our year. Our strength is running, and no team can run on us.''

Follow the leader

Strength is one thing. Leadership is another. And the Bulldogs lacked that one player capable of making the big, game-turning plays in their last two sectional finals.

New Bedford played well, but English also played down a level or two when faced with its biggest game of the year. Players were tentative. Nothing came easy, as it often does against overmatched city opponents.

And though the Bulldogs have no absolute way of knowing how this will change until the tournament starts next week, English coach Barry Robinson believes that this season's difference is already apparent.

``Raheim's confidence has been a big thing this year,'' said Robinson. ``He wasn't able to do things because of that as a freshman. It was a process for him. He wasn't ready a year ago to say, `Hey guys, get on my shoulders, I'm going to carry you through.' ''

Exhibit A, in Robinson's mind, was an English win over Central Catholic this season.

Lamb was particularly excited about going head-to-head with Scott Hazelton, the 6-8 Central Catholic forward who committed to UConn.

``Oh, we've always gone against each other,'' said Lamb. ``It would happen when my AAU team played his AAU team -- times like that.''

But this was different -- a regular-season matchup between Hazelton, generally regarded as the best high school player in the state, and Lamb, the best player in the city.

Then came the news that Hazelton had broken a foot and was finished for the season.

Lamb was disappointed. But there was also an opportunity here for some serious showmanship.

The ensuing numbers roll off Lamb's tongue like butter.

``Thirty-six points and 17 rebounds,'' he said. ``I shot `3's,' all of that. I know myself now. I know I can do all of that when I have to. I was really ready for that game.''

Testing, testing ...

Lamb has also tried hard to keep his priorities straight. One last chance at a state title -- it would be English's first since the legendary team of 1968 went all the way -- blots out UMass basketball for now. More important are two impendings tests -- an SAT exam and an ACT, early next month.

That said, Lamb does watch the Minutemen, who are finishing their season better than they started it.

``They're struggling right now, but they'll be alright,'' he said. ``I committed to them in August, and my enthusiasm for them has not dropped one bit. They have a great tradition, and I want to be a part of it.

``Monty (Mack) was back here for the weekend, and I hung out with him a bit,'' said Lamb. ``He just told me to keep working hard.''

In that respect, Lamb bears a striking similarity to UMass forward Chris Kirkland, a senior who has emerged over the last two seasons as one of the better-scoring power forwards in the Atlantic 10.

Like Lamb, Kirkland is a sinewy 6-6. Also like Lamb, he played center for Pittsburgh's Sto-Rox High due to the lack of a big teammate to play inside. Kirkland went from scoring roughly 26 points per game as a high school player --most of it off athletic power -- to starting from scratch as a low-scoring forward with almost no range in college.

Hard work was the key element behind Kirkland placing second on the ballot to Fordham's Alejandro Olivares as the A-10's most improved player last season.

Lamb also claims to understand the importance of shooting, by himself, in the gym. He can most often be found at times like this close to home at the Shelburne Recreation Center.

But he has one benefit that Kirkland never enjoyed as a high school player. The arrival of Tonguino -- a beefy sophomore from Guinea in West Africa -- enabled Lamb to step out on the wing this season.

``He's hitting his jumper from just inside the 3-point line right now,'' said Robinson. ``He was in the paint for two years, but now that he's on the perimeter, it's made a big difference in his game.''

Cupboard is stocked

Confidence doesn't seem to be a problem now. Indeed, Lamb's newfound strength has carried through the roster like good karma. Smith, a junior point guard, is considered a burgeoning Div. 1 college talent. Noiles and Tonguino also appear headed in the same direction.

Sometimes, the result can be overpowering. It can also ruffle feathers. Many coaches in the city were angered by English's season-opening 126-27 roll over Hyde Park. In the eyes of many, the English starters were on the floor far too long.

Lamb isn't about to back down now, however.

``Sure, we were trying to win by 100 -- we had a trip coming up to Florida, and we had to get ready,'' he said. ``Most of the teams there had already played 15 or 19 games. We had a good team. We can't apologize for that.''

Could the leader, as well as his teammates, be a tad overconfident in that regard?

``No way,'' said Robinson. ``Past situations have made this team humble. There was New Bedford last year, and Attleboro two years ago. These guys have grown. No. 1 doesn't phase them now.''