CBA basketball wins first SCT title since 2010

Christian Brothers Academy dismantles rival Red Bank Catholic 58-37 to claim the Shore Conference championship

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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CBA (23-3) dominated Red Bank Catholic (19-7) in the Shore Conference Tournament final, winning 58-37 to claim their first conference title since 2010. The Colts raced out to a 17-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, led by 15 points from sophomore Izayah Cooper and 14 points from senior Conor Andree.

Why it matters

CBA is one of the Shore's historic basketball powerhouses, but had endured a 16-year title drought before this victory. The win marks a return to prominence for the Colts, who combined key players from both CBA and St. Rose to form a new hoops superteam under first-year head coach Brian Lynch.

The details

CBA shot out to a 17-3 lead in the first quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout, stifling any Red Bank Catholic comeback attempts with their stifling defense. Izayah Cooper led the Colts with 15 points, including 7 in the opening quarter, while Conor Andree added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. CBA's depth was on full display, with Avery Lynch (9 points) and Charlie Messano (8 points, 3 steals) also contributing.

  • CBA won its first Shore Conference title since 2010.
  • The game was played on Friday, February 20, 2026 at Monmouth University.

The players

Christian Brothers Academy

A historic high school basketball program in New Jersey's Shore Conference that won its first conference title since 2010.

Izayah Cooper

A sophomore transfer from St. Rose who led CBA with 15 points in the championship game.

Conor Andree

A senior forward for CBA who scored 14 points and added 6 rebounds and 2 assists in the win.

Brian Lynch

The first-year head coach of CBA who previously won 4 straight Shore Conference titles as a player for the Colts from 1992-1996.

Red Bank Catholic

CBA's rival who they defeated 58-37 in the Shore Conference Tournament final.

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What they’re saying

“This was the No. 1 goal that we put on our list when we sat down together for the first time. Everybody said: win a Shore Conference championship.”

— Brian Lynch, CBA Head Coach (app.com)

“I've watched all my brothers lose couple (of Shore Conference finals). It was great for me, personally. And as a team, we've been working so hard this whole year. This is our first goal that we set out: win a Shore Conference championship. I'm so proud of this team.”

— Conor Andree, CBA Senior Forward (app.com)

“The first thing is the fans. There's going to be a lot of people here, it's going to be very loud. A lot of people are coming to see you play. So that's the first thing is not being anxious. Just going out there and playing basketball. It's just basketball, it's not like the end of your life if you lose. So you just go out there and play your game.”

— Izayah Cooper, CBA Sophomore (app.com)

What’s next

CBA and Red Bank Catholic are both in the South Non-Public A section of the state playoffs, so a third matchup between the two teams is technically possible. However, CBA received a bye to the second round as the #2 seed, while Red Bank Catholic will open the state tournament on Thursday.

The takeaway

CBA's championship victory marks a return to prominence for one of the Shore Conference's historic basketball powers. By combining top talent from both CBA and St. Rose, the Colts formed a superteam that delivered on lofty preseason expectations and ended a 16-year title drought for the program.