Central Catholic Cruises to Boys Basketball Regional Finals

Dominant defense propels Fighting Irish to 70-44 victory over Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy

Mar. 12, 2026 at 12:49am

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Fueled by a stifling defensive effort, the top-ranked Central Catholic Fighting Irish rolled past Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 70-44 in the Division III boys basketball regional semifinals. The Irish forced 15 turnovers and held a commanding 39-26 rebounding advantage to earn a spot in the regional finals.

Why it matters

Central Catholic's dominant performance showcases their defensive prowess and ability to capitalize on opponent's mistakes. As the No. 1 seed, the Fighting Irish are poised for a deep postseason run after falling short in the regional semifinals last year.

The details

Central Catholic's defense was the key to the victory, forcing 15 turnovers that led to 17 points. Seniors Manny Johnson and Dre Wardrop combined for 31 points, while the team shot 40% from 3-point range. The Fighting Irish led by as many as 23 points in the second half, controlling the game with their stifling defense and efficient offense.

  • Central Catholic led 31-20 at halftime.
  • The Fighting Irish opened the third quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 37-23 lead.
  • Johnson's dunk with 5:20 remaining put Central Catholic up 56-33.

The players

Central Catholic

The No. 1 seed in Division III, the Fighting Irish advanced to the regional finals with a dominant defensive performance.

Manny Johnson

A senior guard who scored 14 points and had a team-high three steals for Central Catholic.

Dre Wardrop

A senior who led all scorers with 17 points and had four dunks for the Fighting Irish.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy

The No. 8-ranked team in Division III, the Royals saw their season end with a 22-5 record.

Anthony Collins

The leading scorer for Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy with 16 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“It was a total team effort, and defense drives a lot of what we do. Our guys competed at a pretty high level, just clogging it up, being in gaps, and making it very frustrating for them. Defense led to a lot of offense for us.”

— Mike Floyd, Central Catholic Head Coach

“We're playing well. We've really bought into the defensive end of the floor. Sometimes the ball goes in, sometimes it doesn't, but defense is going to be something that's always there for us.”

— Dre Wardrop, Central Catholic Senior

“We were just playing our best defensively. We like to get good stops, and I think we can compete with anybody. It's just about surviving at this point.”

— Manny Johnson, Central Catholic Senior

What’s next

Central Catholic will face either Mansfield Senior or Alliance in the Division III regional final on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Savage Arena.

The takeaway

Central Catholic's dominant defensive performance and balanced scoring attack have them poised for a deep postseason run. The Fighting Irish's ability to force turnovers and control the boards has been the key to their success, as they look to capture their first regional championship since 2020.