LAWRENCE, Mass. — An hour before tip-off, fans were already packed inside Memorial Gymnasium for Friday’s highly-anticipated MIAA Division 1 quarterfinal matchup between rivals Central Catholic and Lowell.
Once the ball was tipped, the showdown featuring two of the state’s top teams lived up to the pregame hype.
Central Catholic relied on its suffocating defense and pulled away in the final minutes for a 49-45 win in front of a buzzing gym. When the final horn sounded, Central Catholic’s student section, donned in red, stormed the court. Players then made their way over to the baseline for a celebratory photo session with the “Final Four” banner.
The No. 4 Raiders (20-2) advance to play No. 1 Franklin in the semifinals at a date, time, and venue to be announced. No. 5 Lowell finished 20-3.
