Through various sports at various age groups and levels over the years, Bishop McNamara boys basketball coach and four-year Fightin’ Irish center Callaghan O’Connor have shared countless memories together and celebrated winning more trophies than they could imagine.

Thanks in large part to the exclamation point O’Connor put on McNamara’s IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional championship against El Paso-Gridley on Friday, the duo raised another plaque together.

O’Connor scored the last 12 Fightin’ Irish points in their 66-52 win over the Titans, one that not only gave them back-to-back regional championships, but their 27-5 record also set a new single-season wins record for the second straight year.

“He’s a great teammate, and the best part about our whole group is our competitive nature. ...” Provost said of O’Connor. “We have to tamper down at times, but I’d rather do that than not have it. Cal’s the leader of that. He just wants to win, that’s it.”

The 6-foot-7 O’Connor, who led the Irish with 22 points, added six rebounds, six blocks and three steals. It’s the third time O’Connor’s been part of a regional championship basketball team, and whether it was as the young freshman or now with his classmates and best friends, the big man said there’s nothing like nights the Irish had Friday.

“Pure excitement, pure joy,” O’Connor said. “I love this school all the time, regardless of who’s by my side, from (former players) Jaxson Provost, Rob Hutson and Isaiah Davis to (current teammates) Karter [Krutsinger], Coen [Demack], Richie [Darr] and Teddie [Fogel]. Just seeing all my friends and family, the student section, it’s just awesome.”

The Titans (17-14) pulled out to an early 14-8 advantage after the first of four Braden Hayes 3-pointers came with 2:50 left in the first, but the Irish rallied with a monumental 17-0 run. Darr’s rim-wrecker tied it at 14 with 1:23 left in the first, and after Demack’s putback with 40 seconds left put the Irish up 16-14, they never trailed again.

Demack (15 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks) and Krutsinger (21 points, four assists, three rebounds, two steals) were both in double figures by halftime, taking early advantage of the Titans’ man-to-man defense.

“They’re a problem,” Provost said of the duo. “They decided they were going to play one-on-one. OK, we think that tonight’s game, go Coen, go Karter, we’re better. You’re better than that kid guarding you, go, we’ll let you do it. They both did that, and it worked out tonight.”

Trailing 35-27 at the half, Hayes helped the Titans roar right back to within three on a pair of early second-half occasions, going on a personal 10-5 run to start the third.

But they never got closer than that, as Demack and Krutsinger started finding double teams that freed O’Connor to go wild on the offensive end. Defensively, the Irish held the Titans scoreless from the 4:50 mark until the clock read 1:54.

“We did not start the second half the way we were accustomed to, but that’s good,” Provost said. “You need that adversity. These types of games should be hard, that’s what makes them worthy. We want to be worthy of winning, and I think they were too.

“I think we were just better tonight.”

The Irish will head to Seneca on Tuesday to face a Wilmington team that won its first regional since 1988 on Friday. After falling in the sectional championship round last year, Krutsinger said the Irish aren’t ready to hang it up yet.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something not a lot of people get a chance to do,” Krutsinger said. “Let’s just say we’re not finished. We’re still hungry. … We talk about it all the time, how big it would be to bring home a state title. That’s what we’re shooting for."

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Bishop McNamara's Callaghan O'Connor hoists the IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional championship plaque as the team celebrates the Fightin' Irish's 66-52 victory over El Paso-Gridley on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)