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In a Family Battle, Coach Dru's Fighting Irish Best Coach Cam's Cats

By Joe Ginley '12 , 12/31/19, 7:00PM EST

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Coach Dru and Coach Cam posed together after Tuesday's showdown in Akron.

Right before tipoff, the folks at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School played "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge. It was a fitting beginning to what turned out to be a fun game between father and son.

As Wildcats' first-year head coach Cam Joyce said before the game, neither he nor his father Dru, the head coach of the Fighting Irish, would score any points. Even still, much of the attention was on the Joyces manning the benches.

In the end, Coach Dru's Fighting Irish won the day. Coach Cam's Wildcats fought hard, but St. Vincent-St. Mary's impressive talent proved to be too much to handle. The Wildcats lost, 67-50, dropping to 4-3 on the season. 

"It was surreal. As it came closer, during warmups, it became real," said Coach Cam. "To look down and see him was a crazy moment. It was a special game for us, something that we'll forever cherish as a family."

Coach Dru could not have asked for a better start. The Fighting Irish fired out of the gate, rarely missing during a 15-2 run. Coach Cam called a timeout, looking to stem the tide of the onslaught.

The Wildcats began to slowly come alive, but struggled with St. Vincent-St. Mary's physicality. The hosts took a 21-6 lead into the second quarter.

The men of Ohio City made some quick adjustments before the start of the period, which resulted in a turn of momentum. The Wildcats produced some defensive stops and started to find openings on offense. Henry Raynor created space with his body in the post, tabbing 10 points. Danny Nunez and Chase Toppin worked well off each other, opening space for a huge Toppin trey late in the period.

The Wildcats' impressive effort in the second stanza narrowed the lead to just five points, 29-24, heading into the break. 

The elder Joyce caught on to his son's tricks, and the Fighting Irish fought back in the third. St. Vincent-St. Mary counterattacked and made it tough on Raynor down low, as well as on the guards looking to distribute. A few missed shots by the Cats early on stunted the offense, as well. The Fighting Irish used their advantage in athleticism and length to increase the lead to 49-34 after three.

The Wildcats worked very hard in the fourth, but could not trim the lead. Every time the visitors drove to the hole for 2 points, the hosts did the same. Jon Effertz hit a big three in the fourth, but it didn't take long for the Fighting Irish to get it back. 

The Fighting Irish walked away with the 67-50 win, giving Coach Dru the first W in a new annual Battle of the Joyces. Raynor led the Cats with 18 points, while Nunez reached double digits with 10. 

"We missed a lot of opportunities. The effort was there," said Coach Cam. "We missed some shots we usually make. We looked tense early on. We did a good job in coming back during the second quarter. But when you miss a couple of easy ones early in the third quarter, good teams will make you pay for that. We just couldn't keep the momentum going into the second half. I told the guys in the locker room that this is the best team in the state, and we challenged them. This kind of game will get us ready for the stretch run and for March. That's why we schedule such good opponents. Now, let's get focused for Miami."

Joyce was very grateful after the game, and felt blessed to have so much support from fans of both teams.  

"I'm thankful that our fans came to support us, even with the bad roads and snow," said Coach Cam. "To see them support our young men was great. After the game, it was awesome to see friends and family. It was a special day for our family." 

Joyce and the Wildcats will not dwell on the loss too long, as sunshine awaits them. The team flies to Florida on New Year's Day, bound for Miami and the Belen Jesuit Basketball Showcase.

While in Miami, the Wildcats will play three games, enjoy team bonding activities, and have the chance to meet and interact with their Jesuit brothers at Belen. The trip should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Wildcats. 

For fans looking to follow along from home, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@SIHSSports) and on Instagram (@sihsbasketball). The SIBN will broadcast all three games, starting with the showdown vs. Schoolhouse Prep on Thursday at 6 pm.