MIAA Boys' Hoops State Semifinal Preview: Division 4

Cathedral hasn't been tested thus far this tournament. That will likely change against St. Mary's (Lynn).

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612) and Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We've already previewed the semifinals in Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3, so now it's time to dig into both the Eastern Mass title game, and Central/West state semifinal in Division 3. It's too late in the year for lengthy introductions, so let's get right to it.

Division 4 Eastern Mass Final

St. Mary’s (Lynn) (18-5) vs. Cathedral (18-4)

Players to Watch:
St. Mary’s (Lynn) – Jalen Echevarria, So., SG Jonathan Mola, Sr., SF., Keith Ridley Jr., So., F.
Cathedral – Calvin Cheek, Sr., SG; Khalil Blair, Sr., SG; Trevor Lynch, Sr., SF.

Cathedral Panthers Are Kings and Queens of D4 South Once Again

Cathedral captured the D4 South championship in both boys' and girls' basketball. Click image to enlarge.

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

BROCKTON, Mass. – For high school basketball programs, there’s consistency and then there’s outright dominance.

Boston Cathedral continued to assert its status as the most dominant program in MIAA Division 4 over the past several years, as both the Panthers girls and boys hoops teams won their third consecutive sectional titles in convincing fashion.

The Cathedral girls defeated Cohasset, 77-40, in the first half of Friday’s doubleheader at Brockton High to advance to a third consecutive Eastern Mass. Final while the boys’ team demolished Monomoy, 100-44, to punch their ticket to the TD Garden next week. 

Boston Cathedral Continues Postseason Dominance Against Cohasset

By Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports)

QUINCY, Mass. - When your average margin of victory in three playoff games is 47 points, the rest of the state is going to take notice.

Tuesday night, the No. 2 Cathedral High boys’ basketball team (17-4) gave the rest of Division 4 more to worry about, despite playing its closest playoff game yet... Which the Panthers won by 35 points.

Hot Start Propels Boston Cathedral Past Cardinal Spellman

By Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports)

BROCKTON, Mass. - The start and finish were drastically different, but it did not have much impact on the final outcome.

On Tuesday night, Boston Cathedral traveled to Brockton to take on Central Catholic League opponent Cardinal Spellman, and a fast start propelled the Panthers (10-4) to a tight 83-78 road win over the Cardinals (7-4).

MIAA Top 25 Boys Basketball Poll: 1/9/17

Our rankings of the best teams in the state during the 2016-17 basketball season, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 1/9)

1. Cambridge (7-0; Last Ranking  –  1): Falcons had little trouble with Newton South to extend their winning streak over in-state competition. Up next is a clash with 7-1 Weston this Tuesday.

2. BC High (8-0; Last Ranking  –  2):  The Eagles survived a Top 5 clash with a 58-55 win over Mansfield, then pasted Charlestown on the road for their eighth win of the season.

MIAA Top 25 Boys Basketball Poll: 1/2/17

Hanover is just one of four teams debuting in our Top 25 this week.

Our rankings of the best teams in the state during the 2016-17 basketball season, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 1/2)

1. Cambridge (6-0; Last Ranking  –  1): This time last year, the Falcons were handily defeated by an out-of-state opponent, but at this year’s BABC Holiday Tournament, they handed out the punishment with blowout wins over Portsmouth (NH) and St. Raphael’s (RI).

2. BC High (6-0; Last Ranking  –  2):  Eagles continued to assert their dominance in D1 South with blowout wins over Providence Classical (RI) and Brockton, before holding on for a 61-54 win at Concord-Carlisle on Friday. 

Boston Cathedral uses speed to down No. 10 St. John's Prep 63-41 at BABC Holiday Tournament

Lynch with a BLK on one end, Cheek finishes on the other. Cathedral 42, Prep 24 mid Q3 pic.twitter.com/s71gRHYidg

— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) December 28, 2016

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

Boston - Five days before they began to play host to the annual Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) Holiday Tournament, the Panthers of Cathedral suffered a blowout loss at Boston College High. 

But the tough-minded Cathedral players listened to their coach, buckled down, and made the proper adjustments to defeat a talented Bishop Stang team, 84-67, before carrying that momentum into another matchup with a program from the power Catholic Conference.

This time, it was the Panthers handing out the punishment in a blowout win, as they dominated St. John’s Prep from start to finish in a decisive 63-41 victory on Wednesday afternoon. 

No. 2 BC High starts fast, crushes No. 22 Boston Cathedral 91-71

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

BOSTON, Mass. – While their performance came against a program that is not in their division, but the Boston High School Eagles look every bit the part of a championship contender in their third straight victory to open the season.

Led by junior point guard Travis Evee and a slew of lengthy, versatile forwards, the Eagles jumped out to an early 27-12 lead over the Panthers of Boston Cathedral and never looked back on their way to a 91-71 victory at home.