Madison Park wins 16th from line

By Bruce Lerch | Saturday, February 13, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |

David Campbell had 23 points and nine rebounds and Spencer Brathwaite also scored 23 as No. 3 Madison Park used a 12-4 run in the fourth quarter to close out Cambridge, 71-63, last night at the Madidome.

Brathwaite was a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and was a key cog in the Cardinals high-pressure defense.

“That was the key, making our free throws,” Brathwaite said. “We kept attacking the rim and got to the line, and we knew if we could keep knocking them down, the game would be over.”

It was Senior Night at the Madidome, and the Cardinals senior-laden squad seemed to be battling nerves at the start. Fortunately for them, neither team was able to establish any offensive flow in a first half that saw more than 30 fouls called and the Falcons (14-3) took a 30-28 lead into the break.

Madison Park (16-1) rallied behind the pressure defense it is known for, as Brathwaite, Jamal McCollum and Kevin Stokes led a wave of Cardinal defenders into the Falcons backcourt.

Just when MP appeared to be pulling away, Ahmad Charles (16 points) scored five straight points to pull Cambridge back to within three, and Jason Nunes knocked down a big 3-pointer to knot the game at 57-57 with 4:03 remaining before the Cardinals regained control.

“We’re a pressing team, that’s what we do,” said MP coach Dennis Wilson. “We press, we attack, and pressure creates turnovers. It wears you down and makes you do things you don’t want to do, and you certainly saw that in the fourth quarter.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1232575