Ohio City – Friday’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” night against Strongsville in Sullivan Gymnasium and Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the gifted Dan Monteroso and the rest of the talented St. Clairsville Red Devils in the “Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout” at Walsh University highlight another demanding weekend for Coach Sean O’Toole’s varsity basketball team.
The Wildcats’ three games in three days will also include a Saturday night visit to Walsh Jesuit to take on the tough and versatile Warriors.
For those not familiar with what has become a yearly tradition at Saint Ignatius, the Coaches vs. Cancer program is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fund-raising activities and advocacy programs.
“We appreciate the vital importance of cancer awareness,” said Coach O’Toole of a night that will be dedicated to those in the Saint Ignatius community who have experienced or are experiencing the extreme challenges that cancer presents. “We appreciate our health and are aware of the serious battle with this dreaded disease.”
Dunk 4 Diabetes is a joint effort of health/sport awareness powered by the American Diabetes Association
and Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout (D4D) that empowers high school basketball players, their coaches and local communities to make a difference in the fight against diabetes. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership and professional excellence of basketball players nationwide to increase diabetes awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fund-raising activities and advocacy programs.
Friday night’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” will showcase all three of the Wildcats’ basketball programs as the very promising freshmen ‘Cats get things underway with a 4:15 match up with Strongsville’s freshmen team. At 6 p.m., Coach Larry Arthur’s junior varsity squad, which is off to an impressive 10-2 start, will tip off against the Mustangs’ jayvees and Coach O’Toole’s 9-3 varsity Wildcats, currently ranked third in The Plain Dealer’s Top 25 seven-county poll and eighth in the Associated Press Division I state poll, will take on Coach Joe Lynch’s Mustangs at 7:30.
Sunday’s tipoff against St. Clairsville in Walsh University’s Alumni Arena will be 3:15 p.m. Walsh University is located in North Canton, Ohio.
****The golden tones of seniors John Fanta and Greg Ziton will bring you all three varsity games this weekend live over the Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network. Juniors Paddy White and Cole Larson will have the call on the Strongsville and Walsh Jesuit junior varsity games. There is no JV game on Sunday.
HERE IS A LOOK AT ALL THREE OF THE WILDCATS’ VARSITY OPPONENTS THIS WEEKEND
Strongsville: “Anytime you’re coached by one of the best, you’re going to be dangerous,” said Coach O’Toole of Coach Lynch, who has more than 500 career victories in 38 years of coaching. “They have guys who can shoot it, so we can’t give them any easy looks. And they’ll throw a variety of defensive looks at you.”
The Wildcats defeated the Mustangs, 81-44, at Strongsville last season and are facing a team that is struggling this winter at 1-12. In a recent loss to Medina, the Mustangs held a one-point lead seconds into the third quarter and then on their next six possessions they were unable to get off a shot and committed six turnovers. That’s the kind of season it has been for Strongsville.
Among the Mustangs to watch are point guard Kyle Meehan, the team’s leader in assists last season and leading scorer this winter with 175 points, and sophomores Drew Robertson (104 points) and Alex Barnes (94 points).
Walsh Jesuit: Under the direction of head coach John Norris and associate head coach Mitch Gerycz, the Warriors are, as usual, playing solid and unselfish basketball.
Walsh Jesuit, which stood 10-2 through Jan. 22, moved up three spots in this week’s Plain Dealer Top 25 and now holds down the 20th spot in The PD’s seven-county coverage area.
The grit the Warriors always bring to the floor was never more evident than in last weekend’s 48-47 North Coast League victory at Archbishop Hoban, a tough venue to say the least. The Hoban Knights are currently ranked 17th by The Plain
Dealer.
After overcoming multiple eight-point deficits, the Warriors took their first lead with just 2 minutes and 50 seconds remaining to be played. Showing the way and helping Walsh Jesuit improve to 5-0 in the North Coast League are two tough matchups, 6-foot-2 senior guard Mark Mittiga and 6-6 senior post/forward David Croft. Blessed with the ability to score inside and outside, Mittiga and Croft both tossed in 16 points against the Knights. Mittiga, Croft and 6-2 senior guard Jordan Kay serve as their team’s captains.
A telling stat from the Hoban game came courtesy of the Warriors’ defensive effort, which held the Knights to just one basket from the field in the fourth quarter.
“They handle the basketball extremely well, even their 4 and 5,” said Coach O’Toole of Walsh Jesuit, which was defeated by Saint Ignatius, 63-55, at Sullivan Gym last season. “They don’t have the overall size they’ve had in the past, but they’re tough kids who can play fast or slow you down and lull you to sleep.”
St. Clairsville: Simply put my friends, this is a premier state-wide matchup for the Wildcats.
The Red Devils from St. Clairsville are currently 11-1 and ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division II state poll. Their only setback this winter came at the buzzer to Columbus Africentric, the state's fifth-ranked team in Division IV. Last season, Coach Kim Clifford’s team made its first appearance in the state final four as a Division II semifinalist.
When you talk Red Devils basketball, you speak first of Dan Monteroso.
Ohio’s co-Division II Player of the Year last season, the 6-3 Monteroso has picked up where he left off last year and then some.
Entering this week’s action, Monteroso was averaging 27.4 points per game. After scoring 21 points in Tuesday night’s dominant victory at Edison, Monteroso needs just 15 points at Buckeye Local on Friday night to reach the 2,000 plateau for his four-year varsity career. St. Clairsville was averaging 70.5 points per game before laying 86 on Edison.
Oh by the way, Monteroso is also a 3-Star football recruit as a wide receiver. It appeared he was headed to Boston College this coming summer, but the word around Belmont County is that Dan is now considering some of his many other football offers.
Although Monteroso is definitely the linchpin in the Red Devils’ wheel, many of the seasoned gym rats from the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference will tell you that St. Clairsville is not a one-man gang.
Among Monteroso’s talented supporting cast are shut-down defender Jerrid Marhefka and two young men who are adept from the 3-point arc – Riley Carlton and Adam Jeffries. Carlton entered this week averaging 11.9 points per game.
The Wildcats had a night to cherish at the 2012 “Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout,” as they “upset” eventual Division I state champion Pickerington Central, 66-65.
GET WELL PAPPY!: In case you happened to be out of town or out of the country the past few days, Saint Ignatius will be preparing for another weekend without its gifted 6-7 senior post Alec Papesch.
“Pappy,” as Alec is known to his teammates and coaches, suffered a broken wrist during the pre-game drills for last Saturday’s 58-56 victory over St. Edward in Sullivan Gym. Although the length of time Alec will be out of action has been estimated at a month and a half to two months, Coach O’Toole said he is waiting for the results from a specialist before he puts a number on it.
“We don’t want anybody to feel sorry for us,” Coach O’Toole said. “Who you feel sorry for is Pappy, a great kid. We lose depth with Eric Black (6-6 junior post) now starting and other guys will have to step up, and they will. But the big thing about Pappy is that he was not only our best offensive and defensive rebounder, but he was shooting 72% from the field. When we needed a bucket, he was our first option.
“I’m excited for Eric,” Coach O’Toole continued. “Yes, he has a big responsibility. But Eric has definitely earned it.”