Cambridge Native Jacquil Taylor Prepared for NCAA Tournament Moment at TD Garden

Photo courtesy of Purdue Athletics.

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

BOSTON - Jacquil Taylor’s future can be summed up in three words: To be continued.

The Purdue redshirt-junior has seen his career stop and start multiple times already in West Lafayette, but continues to persevere and keep a positive outlook on the universe.

Before joining the Boilermakers, the Cambridge native starred at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, winning a pair of NEPSAC Class B championships. However, Taylor lost his junior year to a foot injury and has battled through injuries in two of his seasons in West Lafayette.

“I’ve gained so much respect for him, because his collegiate career hasn’t been easy dealing with the injuries,” Purdue assistant coach Brandon Brantley said. “One is that he’s an awesome teammate. (Taylor) comes with a positive attitude and wants to see his team do well.”

This weekend, Taylor will take to the court at the TD Garden, trying to help guide the Boilermakers to their first Final Four since 1980. It would take two wins on the famed Garden floor to get Purdue there, and Taylor, who has mostly served as a reserve throughout his career, could potentially play a large role in the two biggest Purdue basketball games in over 35 years.

Cambridge Hangs On Late To Defeat Lincoln-Sudbury

Sudbury, Mass. - The Lincoln-Sudbury Warriors gave the two-time defending Division 1 state champion Cambridge Falcons all they could handle on Friday night, including an aggressive zone defense and a double-digit comeback in the second half.

The Warriors had the game’s leading scorer in senior Brett Flanagan (19 points) and collected 15 steals, but ultimately, it was not enough to put Lincoln-Sudbury over the top, and Cambridge held on for a 60-54 win over the Warriors in Sudbury on Friday night in a Dual County League battle.

The Warriors (6-4, 5-3 DCL) used a zone defense and full-court press to try and prevent Cambridge (11-1, 7-0 DCL) from getting the ball inside to stars Khai Smith and Jonathan Cenescar. 

PHOTO GALLERY: Newton North Snaps Cambridge Basketball's Historic Win Streak

Photos by Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

Newton, Mass. - You can read a full recap of Newton North ending Cambridge's 53-game win streak here, but now continue below for the sights of the game, courtesy of our Eamon Convey.

Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

Newton North Ends Cambridge's 53-Game Win Streak

Newton North's Ethan Wright drives in for 2 of his game-high 36 points.   Photo by Eamon Convey.

By Jason Siegel (@jasiegel1821)

Newton, Mass. - All good things must come to an end, and for Cambridge’s boys basketball team, that includes their 53-game win streak.

Behind 36 points from star senior captain Ethan Wright, the Newton North Tigers crushed the Cambridge Falcons, 70-45, on Friday night in Newton in a non-league showdown.

For Cambridge (9-1), it is the Falcons' first loss since December of 2015, their first loss to a team from Massachusetts since March of 2015 when they lost to Catholic Memorial, and first loss to an MA public school since December of 2015, when they lost to Brookline.

Tournament Tease: Cambridge, Newton North Headline Loaded Slate of Friday Night Games

Newton North star Ethan Wright throws one down.   Photo by Eamon Convey.

It may only be the second week in January, but Friday night will certainly feel like tournament time for many teams across Massachusetts.

A bevy of matchups are sure to appeal to even the most casual fan as in some cases historic league rivalries are set to tipoff while in others a top non-league showdown is in order.

Four matchups standout, as No. 4 Cambridge vs. No. 11 Newton North, No. 9 Mansfield vs. No. 7 Franklin, Catholic Memorial vs. No. 8 BC High, and No. 3 Lowell vs. No. 19 Lawrence, combine to feature seven teams in our latest MIAA Basketball Top-25 poll including five in the top-10.

MIAA Basketball Top 25: Week 4

So, Cambridge is still pretty good, huh?

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

1. Needham (6-0; Last Week - 1) A 24-point performance versus Milton has Rockets’ star Thomas Shaughnessy on the verge of 1,000 for his career.

2. St. John's Prep (5-1; Last Week - 2) The Eagles get wins over a tough Winchester team and Division 2 contender Arlington to grab the label of Catholic Conference favorite.

3. Lowell (7-0; Last Week - 3) Alex Rivera simply cannot be stopped.

Cambridge Tops Brookline for 51st Consecutive Win

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Cambridge, Mass. - For Cambridge the journey may be different, but the destination is exactly the same.

On Tuesday night, the Falcons captured their 51st consecutive victory as, led by Aidan Keefers’ 14 points and seven rebounds, the Falcons knocked off Brookline, 59-53, at War Memorial Gymnasium.

Keefer, a senior, has been a member of the last three Cambridge teams. Now a captain, Keefer realizes that there is certainly a difference between this year’s unit and the previous three.

After all, those teams featured the likes Isaiah McLeod, Dimon Carrigan, and Jakigh Dottin who often led the Falcons to point totals well beyond 75.

This year the Falcons have taken a different approach, as they have yet to score over 70 in each of their first six games.

Everett, Cambridge, Burke, Brookline, Watertown, & Bishop Stang Get Wins at BABC Holiday Classic

BOSTON - The holidays are over, but the gift of winning for Cambridge is still ongoing.

As part of the BABC Holiday Classic at Cathedral High School on Wednesday, the Falcons picked up their 49th consecutive victory, knocking off Portsmouth (NH), 48-46.

Cambridge forward Khai Smith dominated in the paint throughout the contest, finishing with 16 points and 20 rebounds.

The Falcons held a seemingly insurmountable 34-13 lead at the half and seemed well on their way to another blowout victory.

Portsmouth, however, changed their approach in the second half and came out in a 2-1-2 zone in order to slow the game down.

MIAA Basketball Top 25: Preseason Poll

Newton North's Ethan Wright (left) and Needham's Thomas Shaughnessy will again look to lead their teams deep into MassMadness.

 Our (sorta) preseason rankings of the best teams in the state, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 12/11)

1. St. John's Prep (Last Season: 16-6) With a 6-foot-8 center in Tommy O’Neil and an elite wing in 6-foot-3 Nate Hobbs, the Eagles have the weaponry necessary to make a run at a Catholic Conference title and potentially a state championship.  

2. Newton North (Record Last Season: 17-7) Prized prospect Ethan Wright decided to stay at Newton North and he’ll have a lot more help this year, with young talents Noah Neville and Aaron Cooley ready to step up in supporting roles.   

3. Needham (Last Season: 20-5) Thomas Shaughnessy returns after putting on a show in the state tournament last winter, leading the Rockets to their first sectional title and competing valiantly against eventual champion Cambridge in the state semifinals.

The Suite 16: Our MIAA Boys' Basketball All-State Team & Award Winners

Division 1 state champion Cambridge is well-represented on our All-State team and among our Award Winners.

By SuiteSports Staff

Another MIAA boys' basketball season has come to a close, and SuiteSports is proud to unveil its first ever All-State Boys' Basketball Team and Award Winners. The team and awards below were selected by a number of editors and reporters from across the state. But, if you feel the need to yell at anybody, you can find editor Joe Parello on Twitter here.

While we certainly encourage debate about our picks, we will not tolerate attacks on individual kids in the comments section. Please, keep it classy folks.

Final MIAA Boys' Basketball Top 25 for 2016-17 Season

Maynard wasn't even ranked in our final regular season poll. Where will the Tigers end up after capturing a Division 4 state championship? Photo by Brendan C. Hall.

Our rankings of the best basketball teams in the state at the end of 2016-17 season, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. (Updated 3/21)

1. Cambridge (24-0; Last Ranking  –  1): There never seemed to be a doubt as Cambridge rolled to a second consecutive D1 state title and an undefeated season.

Mission Accomplished: Cambridge Takes Home Second Straight D1 State Title

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - As they walked off the court at MassMutual Center with three minutes remaining and a second consecutive state title well in hand, Cambridge’s senior starters received a huge ovation from their rabid fan base and a deep embrace from their demanding coach in Lance Dottin.

With a 70-43 victory over Franklin on Saturday, Dimon Carrigan, Daniel Rymer, Kareem Octavien and Dottin’s nephew Jakigh accomplished what no Falcons team has since Patrick Ewing graduated in 1981, they won consecutive Division 1 state championships.

“It’s a big relief,” said Jakigh.” I feel great and it’s amazing because I’ve been with these guys since about the fifth grade. To be able to go back again and win with them is truly a blessing.”

Cambridge (24-0) finishes the year undefeated and will carry a 45-game winning streak into the 2017-18 season, but for those seniors who worked so hard to defend their state title, it’s time to celebrate.

Cambridge Outlasts Needham for D1 EMass Title

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WORCESTER, Mass. - Every time Needham seemed to be on the verge of pulling off the upset, Cambridge did what they do best and kept it simple.

Behind double-doubles from Dimon Carrigan (14 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks) and Daniel Rymer (14 points, 10 rebounds), the defending Division 1 State champions held off a second half run from the Rockets and came away with a 50-45 victory in the Division 1 State Semifinals on Wednesday night at WPI.

The win advances Cambridge to the Division 1 State Final for the second straight year, and improves their winning streak to 43 games dating back to December of 2015.

MIAA Boys' Hoops State Semifinal Preview: Division 1

Franklin sophomore Jalen Samuels could again be an X-factor for the Panthers.

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

We've reached the final four in each division of the MIAA boys' basketball tournament, and that means a battle for Eastern Mass, plus a clash of the best from Central and Western Mass in each bracket.

We've got you covered with previews of each division as we head into the home stretch of Mass Madness.

Division 1 Eastern Mass Final

Needham (20-4) vs. Cambridge  (22-0)

Players to Watch:
Needham – Thomas Shaughnessry, Jr., SG, Will Cooper, Jr., F, Matt Shaker, Sr., SG.
Cambridge – Jakigh Dottin, Sr, PG, Daniel Rymer, Sr., F, Dimon Carrigan, Sr., C.

Date/Time/Location: March 15th, 6 pm, WPI

Previewing the MIAA Boys' Hoops D1 Sectional Finals

Freshman point guard Chris Edgehill will try to get Franklin over the hump against St. John's (Shrewsbury).

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

We're getting down to the nitty gritty of the MIAA boys' basketball tournament, and the next few days will see sectional championship games played across all 16 sections.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves with all that. Here's our preview of the four sectional finals in Division 1.

No. 1 Cambridge Survives Upset-Minded Lowell

By Karl Capen (@Capen316)

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Even after a monster night from Lowell junior Alex Rivera, top-seeded Cambridge still managed to find a way to win Tuesday night's Division 1 North semifinal, which begs the questions: Can anybody beat the Falcons this year?

Rivera poured in 37 points, but Cambridge seniors Jakigh Dottin (21 points) and Dimon Carrigan (12 points, 17 rebounds) dominated the paint all night to help defeat Lowell, 70-63, Tuesday night in North Andover.

MIAA Boys' Basketball State Tournament Preview and Picks

Cambridge's Jakigh Dottin. Photo courtesy of ESPN Boston and Brendan C. Hall.

 By SuiteSports Staff

Mass Madness is finally here.The MIAA boys and girls basketball tournaments start this week and you can find nightly coverage on SuiteSports through the state finals at Springfield College.

Here is our breakdown and predictions on the boys’ basketball brackets across the state:

No. 1 Cambridge Rolls Past No. 6 New Mission in Battle of Champions

Dimon Carrigan led Cambridge with 20 points and 20 rebounds in a dominant win over New Mission

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

LAWRENCE, Mass. - The defending Division 1 and Division 2 state champions met in a marquee affair on Sunday evening at Central Catholic High. 

And when the dust had settled, top-ranked Cambridge (19-0) proved to be head and shoulders above the sixth-ranked Titans of New Mission (15-6). 

Cambridge used a notable size advantage and implemented a full-court press to spark a 23-6 run in the second quarter with Titans stars Charles and Charlie Mitchell on the bench due to foul trouble, and the Falcons ran away in the second half on their way to a 91-52 victory.

Now the Falcons will advance to face host Central Catholic in the finals of the Round Ball Classic on Monday evening at 7 p.m.

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

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 1/17)

1. Cambridge (9-0; Last Ranking  –  1): The defending champions were always expected to run the table against conference foes and in-state competition, but a 46-36 win over Santa Monica Crossroads (CA) at the Hoophall Classic asserts that Cambridge could be a team for the ages.

2. BC High (11-0; Last Ranking  –  2):  Despite playing arguably the toughest schedule of any team in the state, Carl Pierre and the Eagles remain undefeated, without really being tested of late.   

No. 1 Cambridge takes down Santa Monica Crossroads (CA) at the annual Hoophall Classic

Kareem Octavien was recognized as the most valuable player with 14 points in Cambridge's win over Santa Monica Crossroads (CA)

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — With a win over a premier program out of Southern California, the Cambridge Falcons be recognized as more than simply the best team in Massachusetts.

The defending Division 1 state champions faced off with a star-studded Santa Monica Crossroads (CA) team and didn’t back down at any opponent, outlasting the Road Runners in a defensive battle for a hard-fought 46-36 win in the annual Hoophall Classic at Springfield College.