Boys’ Basketball Falls Short vs. Lima Shawnee in Division III Regional Semifinals, 71-65

The Central Catholic boys’ basketball team dropped a 71-65 decision against Lima Shawnee on Wednesday in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division III Regional Semifinals in Savage Arena.  With the loss, the Fighting Irish wrap up their season with a 13-11 overall record.

Sophomore Isaiah Mack-Russell paced CCHS with 21 points.  The 2024-25 D-III All-District 7 Player of the Year, Mack-Russell registered at least 20 points on a team-high 12 occasions this season.

Classmate Cayden Kynard added 14 points off the bench, while junior Manny Johnson had 9 points and a team-high 7 assists.  Kynard was 1 of 2 Fighting Irish to score in double figures in all 3 tournament contests.

As a team, Central Catholic shot 38.1 percent (24-of-63) from the field and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the free-throw line.  The Scarlet & Gray also finished with a 39-28 edge on the glass, fueled by a team-high 10 caroms from junior Sherard Vaughn III.

Beckett Bertke led the Indians (24-2) with a contest-best 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 helpers.  Trevick Bertke (19 points) and Tate Bender (12 points) also contributed double-digit points in the neutral-site matchup.  This trio combined for 87.3 percent (62 of 71) of Lima Shawnee’s points and 60.7 percent (17 of 28) of its rebounds.

Tonight’s game marked the final contest for CCHS’s 2-member senior class – D’haron Flowers and Dominic Spinazze II.