Basketball Recap: Central Finds Playoff Glory Versus Independence

It's playoff time, and Central had no trouble coming through when it counted. They took their matchup on Wednesday with ease, bagging a 109-65 victory over the Independence Patriots. The Bobcats have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 19 games by 21 points or more this season.

John Mattingly

Points

02/25/26 vs Independence	32
02/18/26 @ Arcadia	31
02/10/26 @ North	22
02/06/26 vs McClintock	28
02/03/26 @ Carl Hayden Community	31
+ 18 more games

It was another big night for John Mattingly, who shot 4-for-5 from beyond the arc and dropped a double-double with 32 points and ten assists. The contest was his 23rd in a row with at least 15 points. John Fahrendorf was another key player, going 8-for-13 from beyond the arc to rack up 26 points and five boards.

They weren't the only ones working in the assist department: Central was working as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in December of 2025.

Several Patriots players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was James Davis, who posted 16 points. Another player making a difference was Rashaad Wilson, who earned 11 points.

Central pushed their record up to 28-3 with the win, which was their 23rd straight at home dating back to last season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 38.4 points. As for Independence, with the defeat, they broke their ten-game winning streak and moved their record to 21-7.

Looking ahead, Central will face off against Carl Hayden Community at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Bobcats will need to watch out since the Falcons have now posted at least 55 points in their last 19 matchups. Independence does not have any more games scheduled as of now.