From the jump, it looked as though the second game would play out similarly to the opening game, as North Central jumped out to a 13-0 lead. Antonio Singleton was huge for the Panthers in the opening quarter, as he scored six in the initial frame with a pair of layups and a midrange jumper from the wing. Junior Kris Wilkes added five points for North Central on a putback at the rim and a corner three.

 

 

Cathedral could only manage two points in the quarter, but they were among the most impressive two points you could ever see. With under a minute remaining, Tra Landers spotted Jordan Walker lurking in the corner and Walker took off along the baseline. After a perfectly placed pass, Walker caught the ball with his back to the rim and his head near the hoop, and flushed it reverse style with two hands. The play awoke the entire standing room only crowd at Tech, and gave Cathedral a much needed jolt.

 

 

North Central would continue to push out their lead and Singleton and Wilkes took turns scoring. A big factor for the Panthers was also the interior play of junior Emmanuel Little, who grabbed 10 rebounds in the opening half, controlling the glass on both ends of the floor. 

 

 

The Irish, however, would end the half on a 7-2 spurt. Former North Central Panthers Walker and Gordon would combine for nine of Cathedral's 15 points in the period.

 

 

Coming out of the locker room, Cathedral would begin to push their way back into the contest. A stout defense forced errors from North Central, and the Irish would capitalize. 

 

 

Austin Kendrick would work free for a couple baskets, and Jordan Walker would get hot from deep, hitting a pair of triples, the last capping off a 14-3 run for the Irish and tying the game at 31. The teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the period, as Cathedral would hold a one point lead heading into the final eight minutes.

 

 

Mateo Rivera had been plagued with missed shots all night, but Doug Mitchell turned the junior guard loose in the fourth, and it paid off for North Central. Rivera would hit back to back threes, then a Cathedral turnover led to a Kris Wilkes 17 foot pullup in transition.

 

 

Cathedral would respond, as Jordan Walker would hit another three, and Eron Gordon would get a pair of free throws. Rivera responded with yet another three of his own to tie the game at 54. Cathedral worked the ball to Tra Landers, who found a crease and drove, where he was fouled by Emmanuel Little, who picked up his 5th with 1:07 left. The junior for the Irish would missed both at the stripe, and Doug Mitchell called timeout for North Central.

 

 

Out of the timeout, North Central appeared to get the ball to Rivera for another three, but that was snuffed out by Cathedral. Attempting to hold the ball for the last shot, Tyrie Johnson found Kris Wilkes in the post with 38 seconds left. Wilkes turned, was fouled, and scored. The junior wing had struggled from the free throw line throughout the game, going just 3 for 9 up to this point, calmly sank the free throw for a three point advantage.

 

 

Cathedral set up a play for Eron Gordon, but that too was taken away by North Central, forcing Andy Fagan to burn a timeout. Cathedral tried to work the ball to Walker, who had the hot hand, but his foot was on the sideline when he received a pass from Gordon, and the ball went over to North Central with ten seconds left. North Central played keep away until Delvon Hunt was finally fouled with 1.9 seconds left. The senior guard made the first of two free throws, allowing North Central to escape with a 58-54 win.

 

 

The Panthers face MIC rival Warren Central in the second semifinal on Friday at Tech.