Central Catholic survives upset bid from Springfield Central, advances to finals

Javi Lopez leads Central Catholic to overtime victory, setting up championship matchup with Bishop Feehan

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:18am

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In a thrilling Division 1 semifinal game, top-seeded Central Catholic narrowly defeated 12th-seeded Springfield Central 74-64 in overtime to advance to the state championship game. Brandeis-bound senior Javi Lopez led the way for Central Catholic with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists, including a last-second shot at the end of regulation that nearly won the game. Central Catholic will now face No. 14 seed Bishop Feehan in the finals.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the parity and competitiveness of high school basketball in Massachusetts, as the underdog Springfield Central squad nearly pulled off the upset over the heavily favored Central Catholic team. The win also sets up an intriguing championship matchup between two programs with rich basketball histories.

The details

Central Catholic jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but Springfield Central responded with 9 straight points to take the lead. The game remained close throughout, with Central Catholic leading 14-11 after the first quarter, 31-29 at halftime, and 45-41 through three quarters. The fourth quarter featured 5 lead changes in the final minutes, with Springfield Central taking a 1-point lead late before Central Catholic's Nizeah Castillo scored the go-ahead layup with 11.8 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra period, Central Catholic's sophomore Elkin Pena scored the first 5 points to give his team a lead they would not relinquish.

  • The game was played on March 11, 2026 at Worcester State University.
  • Central Catholic and Springfield Central met in the same building and same game a year earlier, with Central Catholic losing.

The players

Javi Lopez

A senior at Central Catholic High School who is committed to play basketball at Brandeis University. He led his team with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists in the semifinal victory.

Elkin Pena

A sophomore at Central Catholic High School who scored the first 5 points in overtime to help his team pull away for the win.

Zyere Brown

A player for Springfield Central High School who scored a key layup late in the fourth quarter to give his team a 1-point lead.

Jareth Staine

A player for Springfield Central High School who converted a steal into a fast break bucket to extend his team's lead in the fourth quarter.

Mark Dunham

The head coach of the Central Catholic High School basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We lost last year in the same building in the same game. We weren't letting that happen again.”

— Javi Lopez, Senior, Central Catholic High School

“We've been in a lot of big games the last two years, so our guys were ready for this moment. We have the utmost confidence in them.”

— Mark Dunham, Head Coach, Central Catholic High School

“Coach drew up those plays for me. Two of our seniors from last season, Elias Ynoa and Antonio Lopez, were in the building. We lost with them last year, and we won for them this year.”

— Elkin Pena, Sophomore, Central Catholic High School

“Sometimes that's the way the ball bounces. We've got to get back to the drawing board. We'll keep working – we're not going to let anyone outwork us. We'll be back next season and we'll come back strong.”

— William Watson, Head Coach, Springfield Central High School

“Anything can happen in the state championship. We're going to give it our best shot and let the chips fall where they may.”

— Javi Lopez, Senior, Central Catholic High School

What’s next

Central Catholic will face No. 14 seed Bishop Feehan in the Division 1 state championship game.

The takeaway

This thrilling semifinal matchup between the top-seeded Central Catholic and underdog Springfield Central teams showcased the incredible competitiveness and parity in Massachusetts high school basketball. Despite the upset bid, Central Catholic's experience and senior leadership proved to be the difference, setting up an intriguing championship showdown with Bishop Feehan.