Central edges Willow Canyon, returns to 5A championship game

By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times

WINDOW ROCK

The Central Bobcats are headed back to the Arizona Interscholastic Association 5A Boys Basketball State Championship game.

Central defeated Willow Canyon 67-66 Wednesday night at Willow Canyon High School in a dramatic semifinal that came down to the final seconds. The win also snapped the Wildcats’ 13-game undefeated home streak this season.

Grant Mattingly scored 19 points and his brother, Nevada commit John Mattingly, added 18 going 8 for 9 from the free throw as the Bobcats advanced to the state title game for the second consecutive year.

Willow Canyon kept pace behind sophomore Maurice Carter III, who finished with a game-high 22 points.

The game opened at a fast pace, with both teams shooting well early. Willow Canyon took a 28-25 lead after the first quarter behind strong perimeter shooting and timely scoring from Jayden Hayes.

Central began to settle into the game in the second quarter. After falling behind early, the Bobcats regained momentum when senior John Fahrendorf knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to give Central its first lead of the period.

Willow Canyon answered with an 8-0 run to reclaim control, and the Wildcats carried a 39-35 lead into halftime.

The third quarter saw the game tighten even further.

Dominic Rojas helped spark a Central run early in the half, and the Mattingly brothers combined for several key baskets as the Bobcats chipped away at the deficit. The teams traded leads throughout the quarter before Hayes hit a buzzer-beating basket to tie the game at 56 entering the final period.

The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle.

Central briefly took control after a technical foul on Willow Canyon allowed John Mattingly to convert two free throws, giving the Bobcats a four-point lead. But Hayes answered with consecutive baskets to keep the Wildcats within striking distance.

With just over two minutes remaining, Willow Canyon regained the lead 64-62.

Moments later, Rojas stole the ball and drove the length of the court for an and-one play to push Central back in front 65-64 with 1:46 left.

Willow Canyon answered again when Braylen Gray scored to give the Wildcats a 66-65 lead with 1:14 remaining.

The final sequence belonged to John Mattingly.

After a scramble for possession, Mattingly came away with a steal and raced downcourt for a layup while drawing contact. He converted the free throws to give Central a 67-66 lead with just seconds remaining.

Willow Canyon had one last chance, but Carter missed both free throws with two seconds left, and the Bobcats held on as the clock expired.

With the win, Central improved to 30-3 and will face Mountain Pointe (21-7) in the 2026 AIA 5A Boys Basketball State Championship on Friday evening at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The championship game will also mark the final time the Mattingly brothers play together at the high school level. Over the past two seasons, the duo helped lead Central to a combined 58-6 record with a 23-1 regional mark.

Willow Canyon finished the season 24-6 after capturing the 5A Northwest Valley title.

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