Seliga's reaction: Central, Brophy capture first boys basketball titles

By Jacob Seliga

Lead Writer

Brophy celebrated its first-ever basketball title Saturday in a win over Mesa. (JJ Digos/Contributor)

In the span of 16 hours between Friday night and Saturday afternoon, the once ringless corridor of Central Avenue and Camelback Road became the basketball capital of Arizona.

Central defeated Mountain Pointe 69-58 Friday evening to clinch the 5A championship. Its neighbor across the Grand Canal, Brophy Prep, defeated Mesa 62-49 to win the 6A championship the next day.

For the Bobcats, it was the culmination of the best team and record in school history as, unlike Brophy, they had never appeared in a state championship game prior to the game.

Prior to the school year, John Mattingly announced that he and his Sunnyslope teammate Dominic Rojas would be transferring to Central. Mattingly’s incoming freshman brother, Grant, joined the program as well.

With that core, the Bobcats rolled through teams by an average margin of victory of 33 points per game after the elder Mattingly and Rojas became eligible.

In the 5A championship, the first half was controlled by the freshman, Grant, who stepped up in the pressure-packed setting.

The younger Mattingly had 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting to give Central a 35-26 halftime lead.

The second half, however, was where the elder Mattingly shined. 

John took over as he scored 14 of his 21 total points in the second half to help fend off a comeback attempt from Mountain Pointe, which once trailed by 19 and cut it to 4.

Less than 14 hours after the Bobcats cut down the nets, their neighbors tipped off the 6A championship game against Cinderella story Mesa, who reached the title game as the 11-seed.

Central celebrated its first-ever basketball championship Friday night after knocking off Mountain Pointe. (Jacob Seliga/Staff)

Unlike Central, who shot out of a cannon and dominated from the start of the matchup, Brophy had to adjust to the game and how it was being played early on.

A balanced Jackrabbit attack led the way, as each Mesa player had four points or more after the first quarter, including Daijon Grayson, who had two baskets to force Brophy to trail 23-16 after the first quarter.

The second quarter was where the Broncos eased into the game as two-sport star Daylen Sharper got to the basket and was a pest defensively, forcing two turnovers in the quarter to cut the Brophy deficit to 34-32 at halftime.

Brophy, however, was not fazed by the halftime deficit as the Broncos proceeded to dominate the third quarter, outscoring the Jackrabbits 16-9 behind senior leaders Ayden Madi and Ryan Burbach that came alive in the quarter. 

The key difference as the Broncos started to pull away was their ability to crash the glass.

Xander Koehler did not start for most of the season, but due to injuries stepped up and was forced into a starter role. He had the majority of his team high eight rebounds in the quarter.

Defensively, Sharper and Luke Wieskamp were the difference in the contest as Brophy pulled away behind its stellar defense as it forced six second-half turnovers and held the Jackrabbits to 15 points and a 6 minute scoreless stretch.

The defensive effort from Brophy Saturday afternoon was the difference. (JJ Digos/Contributor)

Brophy opened in 1928 and Central in 1957. For both programs to have been as successful as they've been, and for neither to have a championship prior to this weekend, was stunning to learn. 

The two neighbors are as opposite as one could get, but yet they shared heartbreak through the years on the hardwood. 

Even though Brophy is a private, paid, Jesuit population and Central is a public school with a hard-working background, both these teams share a love for the game of basketball that cannot be replicated.

The names, faces and backgrounds may be different. But one thing is certain, these two schools are the kings of the state for 2025.

Finally, after a long history, Brophy will have a basketball trophy in its case. (JJ Digos/Contributor)

Players of the game: John Mattingly, Senior, Central; Daylen Sharper, Junior, Brophy

These two teams impacted the game in ways that go beyond the stat sheet, although both players owned the game.

Sharper’s athleticism and length defensively disrupted everything Mesa wanted to do in the second half after Matt Hooton made the adjustment to throw him on to Daijon Grayson, who was held scoreless with him defended by Sharper.

Mattingly’s offensive impact couldn’t be replicated as his second-half play clinched the game. He attacked the Pride defense and forced them to commit fouls that sent him to the line and let him ice the game for Central.