Brooklyn, Ohio - Happy New Year!

Coach Sean O'Toole '87 and his Varsity Basketball Wildcats certainly rang in 2014 with style as they came away with an impressive 10-point victory over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in The LeBron James Arena (see the corner's New Year's Eve game story).

However, as Coach O'Toole will be the first to tell you, and as we reported at the end of the SVSM game story, there is little time for celebration.

On Friday evening, one of the Detroit area's best of the best - the Cubs from Detroit Jesuit - pay a visit to Sullivan Gymnasium. The junior varsity tip off is at 4:30, followed by the varsity game at six. Seniors Pat McGuire and Paddy White will have the lead call over the Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network.

Coached by Rocky River native Patrick Donnelly, Detroit Jesuit is 3-1, with its only setback coming in overtime to Toledo St. John's Jesuit.

Among Coach Donnelly's mainstays are highly regarded 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward Noah King, 6-0 sophomore guard Billy Thomas, 6-3 senior forward Nick Mutebi and multi-talented 6-1 sophomore guard Cassius Winston, who is capable of a double-double every time he steps on the court.

The Cubs have displayed a balanced offense through their first four games. Winston is averaging 15 points a game, King is at 14.8 per game and Thomas, who has 12 3-pointers, checks in at 14.3. Among Detroit Jesuit's other mainstays are 5-9 senior guard Spencer Sanders (7 points per game) and 6-2 junior guard Gary Collins.

Coach Donnelly was the DetroitNews.com All-Detroit Area Coach of the Year in 2012-13 and Winston garnered All-Detroit Area honors.

The 'Cats, leading by 14 points with four minutes remaining, held off the Cubs, 78-75, in the Motor City last season.

On Sunday, Coach O'Toole's 'Cats, currently 6-0 and ranked fourth in the seven-county area by cleveland.com, will face the third-ranked Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen in the annual Scholastic Play-By-Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace University's Ursprung Gymnasium. Under the direction of veteran coach Jonathan Harris, the Ironmen stand 8-0.

****Please note that Sunday's game is a 12:45 PM tipoff.

Coach Harris, who this old-timer had the privilege to cover and report on when Jonathan was guiding the fortunes of the Rhodes Rams, has a solid blend of talent and experience at Central Catholic.

In their recent 60-40 victory over Leavittsburg LaBrae during the Play 4 Cancer Shootout at Massillon Jackson, the Ironmen finished with three players in double figures. Six-foot-5 junior Antwon Lillard tossed in 18 points, including four 3-pointers, 6-7, 210-pound sophomore Tervell Beck had 14 points and senior guard Brandon Peters finished with 10 points. Coach Harris' pressure defense took its toll on LaBrae.

Central Catholic also came away from The LeBron James Arena victorious this season, as the Ironmen edged St. Vincent-St. Mary, 53-52. Beck showed the way with 25 points, including 18 in the second half, as Central Catholic overcame a six-point halftime deficit. Junior Montel McRae, another Ironman capable of double digits on any night, provided the game-winner.

Entering this weekend's action, Wildcats 6-7 senior post Eric Black is averaging a team-best 16.2 points per game and his twin brother, David, a 6-6 senior, is pulling down a team-high 8.7 rebounds. Senior forward Isiah Barbra is shooting 81 percent from the foul line and averaging 12.3 points, and the floor general, senior Danny Bova, is dishing out 7.3 assists a game. Eric, David, Isiah and Danny are Coach O'Toole's captains. Eric Black is coming off an outstanding 24-point performance against St. Vincent-St. Mary.

In ice hockey, Coach Pat O'Rourke's Wildcats (15-2-4) will face Coach Troy Gray's St. Edward Eagles (10-10) in a key Great Lakes Hockey League match up on Saturday night in Serpentini Arena at Winterhurst. The puck will drop on Lakewood Heights Boulevard at 7 PM.

Coach Mark Sullivan's varsity wrestlers will return to the mats on Jan. 11, when they travel to Padua to face the Bruins and the Brunswick Blue Devils at high noon. The varsity swimming and diving team, under the direction of Coach Jeff Ridler, will match strides with University School on Jan. 10 at Hathaway Brown. A warm-up session is scheduled for 4 PM, with the competition to follow at 5.

There have been no reports on Saint Ignatius bowling over the holidays, but look for Coach John Kastanis' outstanding wrap ups on the Alley Cats to resume this weekend. Please check out the Saint Ignatius web site for any scheduling updates.

Here's wishing a happy and blessed New Year to all of the Wildcats' faithful.