Cambridge has all the right moves against St. John’s

LOWELL – The Division 1 North boys’ basketball final on Saturday night at the Tsongas Center came down to the fact that Cambridge had Isaiah McLeod and St. John’s Prep did not.
McLeod put up one of the most remarkable performances in a North final in recent memory as his 31 points, including a 20-of-21 performance from the free throw line, helped the Falcons hold off a gallant comeback from the Prep in a 71-64 victory for one of the state’s most decorated programs.
Cambridge advanced to the Division 1 state semifinals, where it will face Catholic Memorial tonight at 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden.
?My hat goes off to St. John’s and the fact that they’re a great team,” Cambridge coach Lance Dottin said. “But I think our kids really responded to the challenge [Saturday], and that’s what’s important. The opportunity was in front of us and we needed to take advantage of it.”
For three quarters, the Eagles (18-5) played even with the No. 2 seeded Falcons (21-2), but it was the first eight-plus minutes on Saturday that coach John Dullea?s Prep team couldn?t overcome.
Cambridge scored 14 straight points to open up an 18-4 lead after one. The Falcons extended the lead to 20-4 early in the second quarter thanks largely to their ability to run in transition. St. John’s also struggled from the field early, which added to its problems.
?You’re not going to win many games when you spot Cambridge an 18-4 lead,” Dullea said. “For whatever reason ? I don’t know if we were nervous, scared or what ever ? but we settled for jump shots. Usually, we’re a pretty good shooting team and we weren’t shooting well in the first quarter. Credit Cambridge for that.”
The Eagles did prove to be more than a worthy adversary for a Cambridge program that has seen the likes of NBA great Patrick Ewing and Rumeal Robinson, who won the NCAA national title with Michigan. Prep senior guard Kareem Davis was the main reason Cambridge fans had to sweat things out down the stretch.
Davis locked horns with Jakigh Mills-Dottin in a terrific point guard battle and he more than held his own. The senior ended his career at the Prep with 27 points, 14 of them in the fourth quarter when the Eagles actually had a 1-point lead before McLeod and company took over.
?Big players step up in big situations and that’s what Kareem did for us,” Dullea said. “He had a great game.”
After getting into the 16-point hole early, the Eagles clawed their way back into the game thanks to a 13-2 run in the second quarter, which cut Cambridge’s lead to 22-17. The Falcons opened the margin back to 10 before another senior, Ben Judson, scored three straight baskets for St. John’s.
His last one came on a runner just before the buzzer sounded to send the Eagles to the half down only 31-25 despite shooting 10-of-29 from the floor.
?We got out to that lead and you definitely don’t want to let anyone come back, but credit to the Prep,” Dottin said. “We knew, and I told the guys that they’re going to come back. I thought the game got a little physical, which might have knocked us out of our game.”
Judson and Davis scored hoops out of the halftime break to get the Eagle partisans revved up. The Falcons would ease back to a 5-point lead twice in the third, but Harry O’Neil’s two conventional 3-point plays along with jumpers from Tyson Johnson and Davis finally allowed the Eagles to erase the 16-point deficit late in the third.
Four Cambridge free throws in the final 1:30 of the third sent the Falcons to the fourth with a tenuous 45-41 lead.
The Eagles defense came up huge at the start of the fourth, holding Cambridge scoreless as Davis’ jumper with 5:43 to go gave St. John’s its first lead at 46-45.
Just when it looked like things were beginning to spiral out of control on the Falcons, McLeod was there to steady the ship.
He hit the first two of his 12 fourth quarter free throws to put Cambridge back on top at 47-46.
The teams would trade baskets before Tevin Charles’ two free throws with 3:23 to g