DANVERS — Despite a late surge, St. John’s Prep’s state tournament run came to an end Monday night as the Eagles lost to Cambridge R&L 67-60.
The Eagles were down 47-33 at the start of the third quarter, and it looked like the Falcons were going to win rather comfortably. However, Prep came out with “urgency” according to head coach Dave Clay, which prompted the Eagles to cut the lead to eight during the fourth quarter.
“I love their fight,” Clay said. “Throughout the whole year, they never gave up. Whether we lost a bunch in a row or [won], it didn’t change their approach to the game.”
One player who left everything he had on the court was senior Michael O’Brien – who scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth.
“He’s been consistent throughout the whole year. He’s a focal point for our team,” Clay said. “To come into a new position and to have a player like Michael O’Brien made it a lot easier.”
The Eagles turned to a press late in the second half and found success, leading to transition points. After Prep forced a turnover, O’Brien showed off his strength, scoring a layup plus contact to get his team to within eight (59-51) with less than three minutes remaining in the game.
That said, despite Prep finding success on the defensive end and getting to the free throw line throughout, the damage they suffered in the first half dug them into a hole that was too deep to climb out of.
A player who caused problems all night for Prep was junior Jeffery White (26 points). White battled in the paint, forcing Prep into foul trouble. On top of that, he also showed his range with a three-pointer.
“He played great,” Clay said. “Hats off to him. The first time we played him, he was not the same player and, clearly, he worked on it and came back harder.”
Prep played Cambridge a few days prior, winning the matchup 58-36. Monday, however, was a different story.
The Falcons nearly scored their total from the last game by halftime (30-18).
In the third quarter, White showed he was, in fact, that different player. He went on a 7-0 run, scoring in the post with two strong moves. Then, when Prep gave him space in the corner, he knocked down a triple to increase the lead to 37-20.
Although Prep started to find its rhythm late, it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit and its season came to an end.
Leading scorers (Prep)
Michael O’Brien: 20
Liam Buys: 10
Jack Angelopolus: 10
Dominic Greaves: 8
Jack Hayes: 5
Daniel Trainor: 3
Quinn Gregoire: 2
Gregory Keane: 2
