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.

Needham Wins Classic Against BC High to Reach D1 South Final

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WELLESLEY, Mass. - To make history, it takes a once in a generation player. For Needham, Thomas Shaughnessy is just that.

On Monday night, in front of a packed Wellesley High School, Shaughnessy scored 22 points and dished out seven assists, as the Rockets clinched their first trip to the sectional final in school history with a 69-66 win over BC High.

The Rockets (19-4) will take on Mansfield in the Division 1 South Sectional Final on Friday night at Taunton High School.

Needham coach Paul Liner said making the sectional final is a dream come true.

No. 2 BC High Takes Down No. 12 Brighton in Comcast/Board 27 Classic D1 Final

Carl Pierre was named MVP of the Comcast/Board 27 Classic and Travis Evee made the all-tournament team for BC High

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

MALDEN, Mass. - The Brighton Bengals might officially be a Division 2 program, but they played as well as any D1 team could hope against a true state title contender in BC High on Monday night.

The Bengals (15-5) gave the Eagles (18-2) everything they could handle during the Division 1 boys’ final of the Comcast/Board 27 Classic at Malden Catholic High, yet in the end, BC High’s dynamic duo of Travis Evee and Carl Pierre proved to be too much in a 77-73 victory for No. 2 BC High.

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.