Beads of sweat running down his forehead, Jeffery White ’24 stared at the rim, tuned out the noise, and delivered a crucial free throw to complete a three-point play, giving the Falcons their final lead in a gritty, double-overtime victory over the previously undefeated Waltham Hawks. Devon Williams-Leonard ’24, a member of the varsity squad, told the Register Forum that the game “was a big turning point…it made us realize that we really have a chance to go far this season.”
Since that defining triumph, the Falcons lost only one game, finishing the regular season 17-3 and climbing as high as the #10 spot in the statewide Boston Globe Top 20.
This season has been a renaissance for the Boy’s Basketball program, which finished with a 10-10 record a year ago. Throughout its history, the program has yielded an MIAA record of eight Division I state championships (since Cambridge Latin High merged with Rindge Tech in 1977), including a dominant run from 2016-2018 where the Falcons took home two state titles and won 53 consecutive games.
What has helped the Falcons get over the hump this season, according to Head Coach Geo Rodriguez, has been the fact that “this team has bought into the expectations and hasn’t lowered the standards…this team has a WE over ME mentality.” Moreover, Williams-Leonard says the squad “believes in each other” and “the chemistry has been amazing.”
The Sons of Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is led by reigning Dual County League (DCL) MVP Jeffery White ’24, who has continued to be the number-one option on offense. Although White’s jumper has been inconsistent, he has utilized his refined game in the paint to put up solid numbers throughout the season.
However, the Falcons’ rebirth wouldn’t be possible without newcomer Parris Moses ’25, who has dominated several games with his hard-nosed playing style. In addition to Moses, the steady performance of veterans, such as Williams-Leonard, Isaiah Warsame ’24, and Chais Harriette ’25, has offered the Falcons a combination of hustle and experience that keeps defenses on their toes and opposing offenses stuck on slo-mo.
The team also features a collective of underclassmen that has played a crucial role in the team’s success. Sharp-shooting guard Morris Lichtenstein ’26 hit eight three-pointers and scored 26 points in an 80-38 beatdown of Wayland. Jaydaan Correia ’26 scored 20 points and dominated the second half of the Falcon’s 67-55 win over a 12-2 Bedford squad. Imam Firmin ’26 and Aaron Abebe ’26 provided sparks at times throughout the season.
Although this team has recaptured Cambridge’s winning tradition on the court, Coach Geo, who was a member of the 2001 state championship team, says that the game has changed too much to compare this team to his days as a player. But what he can say about the 2001 and 2024 Cambridge squads is that “both [teams] loved putting on that Cambridge uniform and representing the rich history of Cambridge basketball.”
Similarly, Williams-Leonard spoke highly of the Cambridge basketball community, stating “[the program is] a big family… it will be something that I’m a part of for the rest of my life.”
This article also appears in our February 2024 print edition.
