VIDEO: Natick Overwhelms Newton North

Video by Matt Siegel (@SportVideoMA)

Natick, Mass. - Thanks to a suffocating defense and big play offense, the Natick Redhawks rolled past Newton North 37-13 Friday night. Our Matt Siegel was there to capture all the biggest plays, which you can view below.

Newton North Basketball Completes Season Sweep of Braintree in D1 South

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyshcroeder81)

Newtonville Mass. - Coming into Wednesday’s Division 1 South first round matchup between 4th-seeded Newton North and 13th-seeded Braintree, the two teams had already met twice.

Newton North won handily both times, but Braintree was hoping the script would flip in the tournament. Unfortunately for the Wamps, it was the same old story as the Tigers won handily, 61-34. 

In the first quarter, it looked as if the game could be competitive. Braintree did a good job keeping the pace of the game slow, which prevent Newton North from getting into their elite transition attack. Newton North’s offense was held in check early and Braintree fed the ball down low to 6-foot-6 senior center Anthony Peacock.

Peacock had seven points and an assist in the quarter. Newton North’s lead was only three as they ended the first quarter up 14-11.

There was a sense of hope among the Braintree faithful who traveled to Newton.

Then immediately came a Newton North avalanche.

Newton North Overcomes Quick Start by Brookline

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyschroeder81)

Brookline, Mass. - After being pummeled by a score of 76-39 in their first meeting against Newton North, the Brookline Warriors were determined to have a better showing on Tuesday. Brookline transferred that mindset to the court early on as they went up by as many as 11 in the first half.

However, Newton North answered the bell in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Brookline 26-8, which ultimately lead the Tigers to an 80-69 victory.

Super Sunday for Wright, Cooley as Tigers Hand Brockton its First Loss

By: Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

For the Tigers, the environment was all too familiar. 

In front of a packed house at Brockton High School on Sunday afternoon, Ethan Wright scored 32 points while Aaron Cooley added 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead Newton North to a 58-40 win over the previously undefeated Boxers.

MIAA Basketball: 2017-2018 Midseason All-State Team

Newton North's Ethan Wright (left) and Needham's Thomas Shaughnessy have been among the best players in Massachusetts the past few seasons..

By SuiteSports Staff

In the blink of an eye, the MIAA basketball season has reached its halfway point.

Some teams are at the point where they can jockey for tournament seeding, hoping to receive a pair of home games to start their quest a state championship. Others, meanwhile, are hoping to win just the amount of games necessary down the stretch to qualify in order to put them in the mix.

All the while, star players across Massachusetts are making their mark on high school hoops this season.

Below is SuiteSports’ midseason MIAA Basketball All-state Team and Award Winners. If your favorite player didn't make the cut, fear not. There is a LOT of basketball left to be played.

MIAA Basketball Top 25: Week 7

A win over Cardinal Spellman at the TD Garden is yet another feather in red-hot Mansfield's cap.   Photo by Eamon Convey.


 Our rankings of the best teams in the state, as selected by our panel of staff writers and correspondents. Records are Through Sunday, January 28th. (Updated 1/29)


1. Brockton (13-0; Last Week - 2) We have a changing of the guard at the top as the Boxers defeated Cambridge before going on the road to defeat Bridgewater-Raynham to remain unbeaten. Brockton will be instantly tested this week when they head to Durfee before hosting Newton North.

Newton North Hands Needham First Loss

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyschroeder81)

Newton, Mass. - The Needham Rockets were a perfect 10-0 coming into Friday night's showdown with Newton North. The Tigers were the biggest test up until this point for Needham, as Newton North was 9-3 coming in and widely recognized as a Top 20 team in the state.

Needham did not pass this test, and may have had weaknesses exposed in its very first loss of the season, as Newton North scored its biggest win of the year, 55-47 over the Rockets.

"We were really hyped up for this game," Newton North star senior Ethan Wright said. "We have always had a rivalry with them. The stands were full. We had our fans behind us and we trusted each other and I think it showed."

One of the concerning problems for Needham was the fact that it had to rely so heavily on stand out point guard Thomas Shaughnessy on the offensive end. In the first half, Shaughnessy was terrific, using his speed and quickness to consistently get to and finish at the cup.

He scored 16 points, but the rest of his teammates combined for only six.

The Wright Way: For Ethan Wright, It Was Always About Being a Tiger

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Following a heartbreaking loss to Catholic Memorial in the 2015 Division 1 South Sectional Semifinals, Newton North senior Tommy Mobley stood outside the Tigers’ locker room and was asked about what was next for the program.

“There is a freshman in there who is going to work his tail off,” a choked up Mobley iterated.

Three years later and that freshman is the most explosive player in Massachusetts.

Newton North Dominates Walpole

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyschroeder81)

Newtonville, Mass. – With the biggest game of the season against Needham coming up on Friday, it was possible that the Newton North Tigers could take their matchup with Walpole (4-8 coming in) lightly. Newton North rejected that possibility with authority on Tuesday night, as the Tigers dominated Walpole wire-to-wire in a 76-38 win.

Before the start of the contest, Newton North’s star senior guard Ethan Wright was honored for being in the running to be a McDonald’s All-American. Once the game started, he played like one and set the tone early. Wright exploded for 13 points in the first quarter, as he was able to get in the paint at will and use his size to finish with ease.

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.

Mansfield Pulls Away from Newton North Late

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Ed. Note- Click here for photos of the Hornets and Tigers.

Mansfield, Mass. - A stiff early season challenge did little to slow down Mansfield’s Johnny McCoy.

McCoy scored 22 points and corralled nine rebounds to lead the Hornets to a key, 71-62, non-league win over Newton North in front of a packed house at Mansfield High School.

The Tigers (1-2) were paced by star Ethan Wright, who finished the contest with a game-high 32 points.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mansfield Basketball vs Newton North

Photos by Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

Mansfield, Mass. - We will have a full recap of Mansfield's big non-league win over Newton North up in a bit, but for now, check out these fantastic shots from our Eamon Convey.

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

A Brief 2017-18 MIAA Hoops Primer

Franklin returns a ton of talent and, now, experience, making the Panthers a favorite to get back to the state championship game.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Ed. Note- Our statewide Top 25 is currently posted, as the first full week of MIAA hoops is now in the books. With that in mind, our Matt Feld figured he would give a brief overview of how he sees things shaking out across all divisions of MIAA basketball.

Ed. Note Part 2- A previous version of this story listed Tech Boston as D4 instead of D2. We regret the error and have corrected it.

Needham surprised many last season with their run to the Division 1 South Sectional championship.

This season, the Rockets will not fly under anyone’s radar.

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.

Catholic Memorial Opens Playoffs with Blowout of Newton North (with VIDEO)

Photo by Matt Siegel.   Continue to the bottom for some video highlights by Matt.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

NEWTON - For Catholic Memorial, quarterback Nick Goffredo’s best performance to date could not have come at a better time.

Goffredo totaled four touchdowns, three via the run, to lead Catholic Memorial to a 35-0 road win over No. 4 Newton North in the first round of the Division 1 South playoffs at Newton North High School.

The Knights earn a birth in the Division 1 South Sectional Semifinals where they will take on Catholic Conference foe No. 1 BC High at Viola Stadium on Friday night.

All afternoon long, Goffredo was nearly perfect carving up the Tigers’ defense.

Your Do-or-Die Monday Super 8 Preview

The two-time defending Super 8 champion Braintree Wamps face elimination today.   Photo by Brendan C. Hall for ESPN Boston.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

For the second time in the four-year history of the MIAA Division 1A Super Eight tournament, the top four seeds won their opening round games and advanced to the winners bracket.

Number one seed St. John’s (Shrewsbury) squeaked past eighth seeded Belmont 3-1, while four seed BC High knocked off two-time defending champion and fifth seeded Braintree. On the other side of the bracket, two seeded St. John’s Prep dominated seventh seeded Newton North, 18-3, and three seed Central Catholic took care of business against sixth seeded Xaverian, 11-2.

The tournament continued on Sunday with St. John’s (Shrewsbury) topping BC High and St. John’s Prep besting Central Catholic in the winners bracket. Both St. John's squads are off to the semifinals, while BC High and Central Catholic are now one game away from elimination.

But today the one-loss bracket begins with Newton North and Xaverian going head-to-head, and Braintree playing Belmont. In each of those contests, one team will see its Super 8 dreams end. Here's how we see do-or-die Monday shaking out.

Turner Falls Edges Newton North Softball in a Thriller

By John McGuirk (@Patsfan1313)

MONTAGUE, Mass. - In the long and storied history of Turners Falls softball, the powerhouse program has faced, and often defeated,  its share of estimable opponents over the years .

With Newton North in town on a cool, damp Friday evening, you could make the argument that this group of Tigers would provide the stiffest challenge to date.  A Top 5 team since the beginning of season, according to various Eastern Mass. polls, Newton North is widely-considered one of the favorites to vie for a Division 1 state championship.

Walpole Comes Back to Down Newton North

By Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7)

NEWTON, Mass. - While they were down 8-4 at the half on the road against Newton North, the Walpole Rebels kept the faith.

In a battle between Bay State Conference front runners, they were able to draw on a lesson from earlier in the season and storm back for a 12-10 victory over the Tigers.