LAWRENCE, Mass. — Central Catholic didn’t emerge with any bitterness from the Hoophall Classic. A questionable call in the final second of regulation may have robbed the Raiders of a signature upset victory over Bergen Catholic, the top team in New Jersey with multiple Division 1 recruits, including a Michigan State commit.
But Central didn’t leave sorry for itself after the difficult overtime loss. And the Raiders didn’t harbor any extra motivation as they returned to their home court Tuesday night.
“I wanted to make sure nothing negative came out of the game,” Central coach Mark Dunham said of the Bergen Catholic loss. “Was there a bad whistle? That happens all the time. We missed some free throws at the end, we didn’t execute on an inbounds play. But ultimately, we got so much out of that game.”
The truth is, they didn’t need any motivation on Tuesday. That’s because Lawrence, their intracity rival, was standing on the other side. The Raiders only beat the Lancers by eight a few weeks ago at the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic, and Dunham knows you can throw the records out when they meet.
“Our kids know that Lawrence is going to play ridiculously hard, they’re well-coached and the kids know each other,” Dunham said. “I was more happy that it was them and not somebody else. They’re always going to play their best basketball against us and we know that, so it wasn’t hard to get them motivated for tonight.”
MIAA BOYS TOP 10: Central Catholic stays at No. 1
The No. 1-ranked Raiders took a business-like approach to the game like the veteran, experienced group they are. Led by 27 points from star Javi Lopez – who was honored pregame as the school’s all-time leading scorer – Central handled Lawrence with a 75-60 victory at Memorial Gymnasium. The Raiders controlled the game from start to finish, swallowing the Lancers into loads of turnovers, and never looked back after a 15-0 run to begin the second quarter.
Central improved its record to 9-3 overall with a 6-1 mark in the Merrimack Valley Conference, while Lawrence dropped to 7-5 with a 5-3 league mark. Here are five standouts from the matchup.
Javi Lopez, Central Catholic
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Moments after being honored as the school’s all-time leading scorer, Lopez wasted little time in showing why his name is above the rest. He scored 18 of his 27 points in the first half as he showed the versatility of his scoring ability. He made four 3-pointers – including one on a four-point play – and got to the basket at will, whether it was in transition or finding driving lanes, while making tough finishes look easy. I’m continuously impressed with Lopez’s feel in the open court; he might not be the fastest, most athletic, explosive or skilled ball-handler, but he always finds a way to get it done. He lulls you to sleep with his patience, then attacks or creates an opening to get by a defender and make a play to the hoop. I noted multiple times when Lopez found creases to dribble between defenders in transition and then either make a play for himself or a teammate. He makes the game look so easy.
The moment honoring Lopez pregame was special, as he was presented a trophy with a golden ball and took photos with his family at midcourt. After Tuesday night, he now sits at 1,606 career points.
“It’s been a blessing because I tell this to everybody and I want people to understand this, he is the most coachable kid I’ve ever coached,” Dunham said. “For somebody to be as good as he is, he’s so humble and he wants to get better and he wants to learn and he wants to be coached. Whatever college gets him, they’re gonna call me and they’re gonna be like, you weren’t lying. It’s so much more than basketball with him. He’s such a great player, but the teammate he is, the person he is, I’m shocked that an NE-10 school hasn’t taken a shot on him. The kid just scores 30 every night. It doesn’t matter if it’s Brewster, Bergen Catholic or Beverly, he’s gonna get his.”
Lopez has somehow taken his game to the next level this winter; he’s virtually unstoppable on a nightly basis, even as he gets hammered physically with the ball constantly in his hands. Dunham noted that Lopez is shooting around 50 percent from 3-point range this season, which is significantly higher than last season on a higher volume, too.
“He’s been amazing on the offensive end,” Dunham said. “I mean, every night you can pencil in 30 points for him. Finishing through contact is great. He’s in elite shape, but he gets beat up so much. Double teamed, triple teamed and every time he goes to the rim, he gets hit. He’s doing everything we’ve asked him to do. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Jeremiah Almanzar, Central Catholic
Class of 2026, 5-10 guard
Central was missing its senior co-captain the last two games due to an Achilles injury, and he returned Tuesday and made his usual impact as the Raiders’ steady lead guard. He finished with eight points, which included a pair of difficult lefty finishes off the glass, and his leadership alongside Lopez was valuable. Central saw its lead dwindle to seven in the third quarter before turning it back up. That was in large part due to Almanzar.
“I remember calling a timeout and we looked a little gassed,” Dunham said. “I get it because we’re in it right now. We’re playing Mondays and Wednesdays and Sundays. I said guys we’re off tomorrow, give it everything you have. We went a little deeper into the bench today. I’m trying to sub more people and make sure we have enough legs. … Javi and Jeremiah, (they) looked at each other, looked at the team and said guys, let’s pick it up a little bit. And then we went on an 11-0 run and got the lead to 21, and the game was over.”
Ademola Ajao, Central Catholic
Class of 2027, 6-2 guard
Ajao has been a valuable asset off the bench for Dunham. He scored nine consecutive points during one stretch against Bergen Catholic on Sunday, and the athletic guard added more energy in Tuesday’s win. He scored eight points, including a 3-pointer, and was fouled at least three times in transition as he continuously got ahead of the defense. He was also disruptive defensively with his activity and athleticism.
“He dominates practice,” Dunham said. “It was just a matter of him getting his confidence in the game. There’s times in practice that we can’t cover him. He’s so athletic, he’s so physical and all he needed was a little confidence. … His ceiling is so high, only a junior, so he’s going to be a huge part. Next year, he’s going to be ginormous for us.”
Aiden Torres, Lawrence
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Lawrence’s leading scorer this season, Torres finished with 22 points and four rebounds and is such a unique matchup problem with his blend of skill, shooting and physicality as a bigger guard. He made two 3-pointers and was confident off the catch, and he was effective in getting downhill and scoring at the basket using his leverage and size, including one bucket when he put his shoulder into a defender to get an easy score in the paint. He was also good from the mid-range, which included a baseline pull-up jumper and a tough fadeaway.
Lenin Diaz, Lawrence
Class of 2026, 5-7 guard
Diaz scored all 13 of his points in the third quarter during a ridiculous heater, which included his own personal 10-0 run. Lawrence trailed by 17 when he hit two pull-up 3-pointers, including an NBA range long ball before drilling a pull-up in transition to cut the Lancers’ deficit to seven. His 13 points included three triples.
