TAUNTON — From the start, Franklin showed that it is the top team in Eastern Massachusetts.
Bradley Herndon scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out six assists while Sean O’Leary contributed 16 points as No. 3 Franklin beat No. 2 Catholic Memorial, 66-52, in the Div. 1 state semifinals on Tuesday night at Taunton High School.
Franklin (25-1) will compete in the Division 1 state final this weekend at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, against Worcester North or Xaverian.
“This is fantastic,” Herndon said. “Just looking around, our entire school was here. This weekend is yet another chance to demonstrate to ourselves, our community, and the entire MIAA what we’re truly capable of.”
Throughout most of the evening, the Panthers were in command. They consistently drove past the Knights, including a notable sequence when Herndon attacked the basket three times in a row. If Franklin’s initial shot missed, they often secured an offensive rebound, tallying 22 in total.
An O’Leary three-pointer gave Franklin its biggest lead of the night at 17, 59-42 with four minutes remaining. Catholic Memorial, however, made one final push.
Sharpshooter Ryan Higgins – closely marked by Caden Sullivan throughout the game – sank his first three-pointer before freshman star Josiah Adamson scored four consecutive points in a 10-0 run to reduce the deficit to 59-52. Franklin, with four seniors on the court, remained composed, and Andrew O’Neill sank a three-pointer from the corner to extend the lead back to double digits with just under two minutes left.
“Right from the start our effort was exceptional,” Franklin coach CJ Neely said. “We've been to the state title game before, hopefully we can seal the deal this time. However, we'll celebrate this victory and think about that tomorrow or the day after.”
Henry DiGiorgio hit two three-pointers in the first quarter and added a third at the start of the second quarter to give Franklin a 29-19 lead.
The Knights made their move before the break, with Adamson scoring six points while Aiden Pires contributed a three-pointer to decrease the deficit to 33-29 at halftime.
The third quarter was all about Franklin. An O’Neill three-pointer increased the lead to seven. Shortly after, Herndon produced a decisive sequence, scoring on three consecutive trips to the basket. Sullivan then emphasized the lead, scoring from an offensive rebound to give Franklin a 53-37 lead late in the third quarter.
