This season was special long before the end. A climactic finale made it not only memorable, but remarkable and historic. Cathedral High School boys basketball in 2025-2026 put together one of its best seasons ever, fulfilling a year-long goal and winning the third state title in the history of one of Indiana’s elite programs. “They're special,” Jason Delaney said of the ’25-26 Irish. “Just because of the people they are. They're champions all the way around. It's just fun when guys are like that.” The Irish in Delaney’s 10th season as head coach followed a strong season with a stronger postseason, finishing with a 71-61 victory over New Haven in the Class 3A state title game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis – the Irish’s second state title in five seasons. “This season flew by because it was so enjoyable,” Delaney said. “This group of kids is one of my favorites of all-time. They were coachable and they loved each other and played extremely hard. They were just never out of it.” Senior Julien Smith registered a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds as the Irish outscored New Haven, 13-4, in the final 3:47 of the state title game. The Irish won the Class 4A state title in 2022 and the Class 3A state title in 1998. “New Haven is an extremely good program, good team,” Delaney said. “They play extremely hard and gave us everything we could handle. We were able to overcome it in the fourth quarter.” Key to the ’25-‘26 Irish: Strong leadership from a senior class that included Smith, forward Keaton Aldridge and Rmani Wells. “Every one of them led in their own way, and it was beautiful the way they led,” Delaney said. The Irish finished the season 25-5, then entered the postseason ranked No. 3 in the Class 3A USA Today Network Indiana High School boys basketball poll. They won the Class 3A, Section 26 tournament with an 81-63 victory over Attucks. The Irish lost to Attucks in the ’25 sectional final. “I think it was Brad Stevens said, ‘Pain is part of the process,’’’ Delaney said. “We had to sit 365 days with that loss last year. That's the year you think you're going to get it done and you fall apart in four minutes and it's all over. You have to wait 365 days, coming back in here last spring at 6:30 in the morning for workouts. There was such pain. You just sit all year long. “We had to sit with it and let it burn inside of us. The guys did a great job. They just went into silence and did work. They made comments about us being under the radar. We were just going to work each and every day, so when the lights came on, we could shine. “The regular season was all built toward that, but we knew where the road was going to lead. We got our chance and pulled it out in the fourth quarter. Then the message was, ‘We waited 365 days not to win a sectional, but to win a state title.’” The Irish beat No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit, 69-67, for the regional title. They then beat No. 2 Princeton 85-64 in a morning semi-state semifinal and No. 1 Silver Creek 73-68 in the semi-state championship game the same night to advance to the state championship game. Delaney called the semi-state championship a “phenomenal environment.” “The emotion, tension and intensity in the gym against Silver Creek … it was all orange in there and very little blue, green or gold,” Delaney said. “Silver Creek was just loaded. They have size. They have Division I players. “We played really well against Princeton. It's extremely tough to play at that high of a level two games in a day. That win against Silver Creek was phenomenal. You had to have the will to win and the desire not to lose.” The Irish rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit against Silver Creek. “They could have folded it in,” Delaney said. “We were going on spring break, and some of them had plans to go places. It just didn't work out this way. They refused to do that.” The 2025-2026 Irish were led by: *Aldridge (18.0 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, 5.5 assists per game, 2.4 steals per game), who will play collegiately at Detroit-Mercy. “The kid has probably the best motor I've ever coached,” Delaney said. “It just does not stop. That's practice, that's a game. He never changes who he is.” *Smith (15.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg), who will play collegiately at Mount St, Mary’s. “He's just an all-around leader, off the court and on the court,” Delaney said. *Wells (6.9 ppg, 3.2 ppg). “Even when things weren't going his way, he was one of the most positive guys, every game, encouraging others, clapping it up, and just being encouraging to everybody,” Delaney said. “He brought energy all the time.” *Junior Braylon Pippins (9.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg). *Junior Skylar Rodgers (6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg). *Sophomore Tristan Lloyd (6.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg). *Junior Owen Peterson (5.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg). *Freshman Ryan Gold Jr. (5.5 ppg. 2.1 rpg, 2.3 apg). *Freshman Jayden Kennedy (5.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg). *Sophomore Jaxson Delaney (4.3 ppg, 3.0, rpg). “This was the most connected team we've had here in 10 years – the bond off the court,” Delaney said. “We always got something out of guys off the bench. That made us dangerous too, because it was different every game. “It was all grade levels. You had freshmen stepping up and making big plays. You had juniors stepping up and making big plays. It was just a total team effort and they just didn't want to let each other down.”