![Senior Henry DiGiorgio [10], who drained three 3-pointers in a 13-point night, was pumped with Franklin's play in the Division 1 state semifinals against Catholic Memorial at Taunton High.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R7OSDFZDUMD2IBIKFFEQNDVZWA.jpg?auth=03afd83fa2009964df1fdaffe5c72515966cf741600f9194ae415f872f0790f1&width=1440)
TAUNTON — When the Franklin boys’ basketball team is locked in offensively, it’s a dizzying experience for opposing defenses. The Panthers space the floor, whip passes around to open shooters or cutters, and pile up points in the blink of an eye.
In Tuesday’s Division 1 state semifinal, third-seeded Franklin wowed a capacity crowd at Taunton High with its offensive execution, earning an impressive 66-52 win over No. 2 Catholic Memorial to punch a ticket to this weekend’s state final at Tsongas Center.
Senior guard Henry DiGiorgio, who scored 13 points and sank three 3-pointers, described the Panthers’ offense like a chain reaction.
“When everything is going our way, it’s unreal,” said DiGiorgio, a Northeastern-bound shortstop. “We used multiple actions on offense, back cut, and just fed off the atmosphere from there.”
Franklin (25-1) was particularly potent in the third quarter.
Senior guard Andrew O’Neill opened the frame by draining consecutive 3-pointers. Two-time Hockomock MVP Sean O’Leary followed with a spin move to the cup before senior Bradley Herndon attacked the lane for three layups. Junior guard Caden Sullivan capped the dominant sequence by soaring in from the left wing and tipping the ball home as the Franklin student section erupted.
In just six minutes, the Panthers rattled off 20 points and took a commanding 53-37 lead.
“I see them moving the ball and being aggressive,” said Franklin coach CJ Neely. “We’re not the team that plays isolation ball. We’re aggressive and we like to attack.”
All five Franklin starters scored in double figures, with O’Leary (15 points), DiGiorgio, and Herndon (11) leading the way. The Panthers’ continuity began in fourth grade when this group started playing travel basketball together. Nearly eight years later, it has resulted in a storybook winter that includes an undefeated record against in-state competition, and now a trip to the program’s first state final since 2018.
Franklin awaits the winner of Wednesday’s Worcester North/Xaverian semifinal at UMass Boston.
“We got one more to win,” said Sullivan.
Freshmen Aiden Pires and Josiah Adamson led Catholic Memorial with 17 points each. The Catholic Conference champions cut the deficit to 59-52 with two minutes left, but O’Neill denied any chance of a comeback with his third and final 3-pointer.
It was a microcosm of the game. The Knights (19-5) could not slow down Franklin.
“They were a tough matchup because they have so many shooters,” said Catholic Memorial coach Denis Tobin. “They played really well tonight and it just wasn’t our night.”
