It was simple Tuesday night: win and move on, or go home.
It was simple Tuesday night: win and move on, or go home.
The top-seeded Canfield Cardinals came in ranked No. 1 in Division IV at 20-3, with many projecting a deep state tournament run. On the other hand, the Notre Dame Cathedral Latin entered at 10-12, ranked No. 14.
If the Lions were going to pull this off, it would be one of the biggest upsets in Ohio this season.
This game opened like any other high-stakes elimination game, with pressure. Both teams came out the gates running full-court presses, trying to speed each other up and force early mistakes.
Early on, NDCL ran into trouble when senior and 2025-26 NCC MVP Brendan Hernan picked up two personal fouls, sidelining him for most of the first half.
Hernan said he told himself to “stay calm” and that he couldn’t “get in my own head.”
Canfield took advantage. Junior Jace Riccardo opened the scoring for Canfield with a layup, and although NDCL’s Jacobson answered back with a deep three, the Cardinals slowly grabbed control.
Late in the first quarter, an intentional foul called on the Lions gave Canfield free throws and the ball, helping the Cardinals build a 15-8 lead after one.
In the second quarter, NDCL tried to chip away. Junior Jason Rook knocked down a corner three to bring the deficit back within 4, but every Lions push was met with a response.
Canfield finished the first half on a 17-10 run, giving themselves a 35-21 lead at the break.
When asked about first half struggles, NDCL Assistant Coach Mark Kostelec explained: “On a lot of our high ball screen actions, they were just switching everything. They made us read it, and we didn’t do a great job of that.”
The third quarter, though, belonged to the Lions.
NDCL came out energized. Rook scored in transition, and once Hernan returned to the floor, he completely changed the pace of the game. He attacked the rim, converted an and-1, and converted on a fastbreak shortly thereafter, bringing the Canfield lead back within 10.
Hernan had 16 points in the third alone.
When asked about the spark, Coach Kostelec gave credit to the seniors, calling them “warriors,” and added that “they fight, they impact the game all around.”
Eventually the Lions shortened the deficit all the way down to 6, but then came an unfortunate momentum swing in favor of the Cardinals. Another intentional foul was called on the Lions, giving Canfield two free throws and possession. Senior Bryce Roberts knocked down both from the charity stripe, and shortly after, hit Riccardo in the corner, who netted a triple.
The Cardinals entered the final eight minutes with a 54-45 lead.
NDC refused to quit. Rook knocked down another three. Jacobson went coast to coast through contact. Senior Luke Keep knocked down a big shot from deep.
The Lions cut the lead down to five late in the fourth, with Hernan adding another and-1 to try and keep hopes alive.
But in the final minutes, Canfield executed at the free throw line. NDCL was forced to foul to stop the clock, and the Cardinals capitalized, securing a 72-65 victory.
When asked, after a four-year run at NDCL, what lesson he would take away from all this, Hernan said, “You can’t do it by yourself. It’s a team game. Just trust your teammates, rely on them, and try to be the best team you can be.”
Brendan Hernan finished with 25 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Jacobson and Rook also ended with double-digits.
The Lions battled to the end, but their season came to a close in the district semifinals.
