Coach Sean O’Toole’s 5-0 Wildcats, ranked fourth in this week’s cleveland.com Top 25 area poll, travel to The LeBron James Arena on Tuesday to face the seventh-ranked 3-5 Irish, a ranking for SVSM that is deceiving, to say the least. A 1 PM junior varsity tipoff will precede the varsity encounter, which is scheduled for 3 bells.

By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright December 2013

Sullivan Gymnasium – The Saint Ignatius Wildcats know three things are certain heading into Tuesday afternoon’s match up with St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron.

Number one, having scrimmaged the Fighting Irish in the preseason the Wildcats are familiar with the new LeBron James Arena. “A setting fitting for a King,” say the Rubber City’s veteran gym rats.

Number two, Saint Ignatius needs no introduction to the wealth of talent Coach Dru Joyce’s Irish possess. The ‘Cats got a taste of the challenges SVSM presents in the above mentioned scrimmage.

And number three, either the Wildcats or the Irish will toast the New Year with a victory.

Ah yes, Saint Ignatius versus St. Vincent-St. Mary in a New Year’s Eve matinee state-wide headliner. Now that’s closing out 2013 in style.

“They are one of the most talented teams in the entire state,” Coach O’Toole ’87 said of the Irish, who have overcome injuries en route to re-establishing themselves as one of the best of the best for 2013-14.

Coach Joyce’s team opened the eyes of those few doubters by defeating a deep and strong Shaker Heights team, 74-59. The Shaker Raiders are ranked fifth in the seven-county area.

Although gifted 6-foot-7 sophomore guard/wing VJ King is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the ‘Cats because of an injury, SVSM displayed its exceptional depth and versatility in handing Shaker Heights its second loss on the young season.

The Irish were 12-of-19 on 3-pointers against the Raiders, with five different players hitting at least one trey. Jalen Hudson, a multi-skilled 6-5 senior forward, had four 3-pointers among his 21 points and 6-2 junior guard Josh Williams and 5-10 junior guard Johnnie Robinson each hit three shots from beyond the arc. Robinson is a tough spot-up shooter and Williams complements his scoring as an excellent rebounding guard.

Coach Joyce also got double-digit scoring efforts from 6-5 sophomore forward Henry Baddley (15 points) and 6-5, 215-pound junior forward Jibri Blount (10 points) versus Shaker Heights.

Hudson and Williams are averaging 19 and 15 points, respectively. Williams has 20 treys and Saint Ignatius’ highly respected veteran assistant coach Jerry Porath describes Hudson as an excellent player who makes highlight plays.

“Everyone in their lineup can grab it and go,” said Coach O’Toole of a SVSM team that he rates among the best, if not the best, offensive rebounding teams in the area. “They are extremely well coached. Dru (Coach Joyce) does a great job of mixing it up defensively.

“This is a March-type of game,” Coach O’Toole continued. “You need games like this in order to measure yourself, to see where you are and where you have to improve.”

En route to a Division II state runner-up finish in 2012-13, the Irish defeated the Wildcats in the regular season, 76-73.

A TRIFECTA IN THE GLASS CITY: Saint Ignatius’ Junior Varsity and Freshman Blue and Freshman Gold basketball teams came away with victories at Toledo St. John’s Jesuit on Monday, as Coach Chris Salata’s JV ‘Cats improved to 6-0.

The junior varsity Wildcats edged the Titans’ jayvees, 48-47. Six-five sophomore post Sharief Irish scored 13 points, 6-4 sophomore Tim Kiefer and sophomore guard Mike Hollis each had 10 points, and sophomore Jake Gawlik contributed 8 points.

Quinton Farren’s 13 points and a 10-point effort from Colin Goodfellow helped show the way in the Freshman Blue Team’s 41-31 triumph and the Freshman Gold withstood 10 3-pointers by the Titans en route to a 58-49 victory. The Gold 'Cats stand 7-0 on the season and the Blue Team is 5-1.

****The Gold’s Michael Spear tossed in a game-high 19 points, including three 3-pointers, and James Leyden added 11 points.

****ICE CATS REMAIN NO. 1: Coach Pat O’Rourke’s Varsity Ice Hockey Wildcats continued to hold down the top ranking in this week’s coaches’ state poll. Following their three consecutive victories in the St. Edward Eagle Classic, the Ice Cats are 15-2-4.

NOTE: After advancing to the semifinal round, Wildcats standout senior wrestler Anthony McLaughlin finished fifth at 182 pounds in the final day of the tradition-rich Brecksville-Broadview Heights Holiday Tournament.