Boys’ Basketball Set for Division III State Semifinal Showdown vs. Trotwood-Madison on Thursday in Dayton

The Central Catholic boys’ basketball team will continue its pursuit of the program’s first state championship when it faces Trotwood-Madison (22-4) in the OHSAA Division III State Semifinals on Thursday, March 19 at UD Arena on the campus of the University of Dayton.  Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., with live radio coverage on 100.7 FM (The Ticket) beginning at 5:45 p.m.  The game will also be streamed live via OHSAA.tv and the Spectrum News App.

Tickets for Thursday’s neutral-site contest must be purchased online at ohsaa.org/tickets (Division III → Select Game).  Adult tickets are $18 (reserved seating), while student tickets are $10 (general admission).  Should Central Catholic (23-3) advance, the Fighting Irish will meet the winner of Steubenville vs. Akron Archbishop Hoban in the state championship game on Friday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m., also at UD Arena.

Central Catholic punched its ticket to the Final Four for the first time since 2011 with an impressive 81-61 victory over Mansfield Senior in the Region 10 Final at Savage Arena. Senior guard Manny Johnson and junior guard Cayden Kynard combined for 48 points in the win, with Johnson scoring a game-high 24 and Kynard adding 20.  Junior guard Jordan Langford contributed 11 points off the bench, while senior forward Kaeden Carruthers recorded a game-best 14 rebounds along with six points to anchor a balanced effort.

The Fighting Irish have been dominant throughout postseason play, outscoring opponents by an average of 22.8 points per game (69.8-47.0) while holding three of five tournament opponents under 45 points.  Johnson leads Central Catholic in tournament scoring at 17.0 points per game, followed by senior guard Draden Wardrop (13.4), Kynard (13.0), and Carruthers (9.2).

On the season, Kynard leads the team in scoring at 15.7 points per game, with Johnson close behind at 14.5. Wardrop (10.9) and Carruthers (9.0) also average double figures. Johnson tops the team in assists (4.2) and steals (2.8), while Carruthers leads in rebounding (8.1) and blocked shots (1.8).

Trotwood-Madison, a member of the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC), captured its sixth regional championship with a 54-48 victory over Hamilton Badin at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University.  Guided by Head Coach Carl Blankenship Sr., the Rams are seeking their second state title and first since 2019.

The two teams share one common opponent this season — Lima Senior.  Central Catholic fell to the Spartans 62-58 on January 6, while Trotwood-Madison dropped an 88-54 road contest on February 6.