Ohio City - The Saint Ignatius Wildcats' junior varsity basketball team made several strong runs at the talented jayvee team from Toledo St. John's Jesuit, but just couldn't climb all the way back and were defeated by the Titans, 68-62, in Sullivan Gymnasium on Monday afternoon.
Coach Larry Arthur's JV 'Cats, who were coming off Saturday night's impressive overtime victory over St. Edward's jayvees, lost for just the second time in 12 games this season. St. John's Jesuit improved to 15-1, with its only setback coming in overtime at St. Edward.
The Titans came out strong in what was the third game of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day tripleheader at Sullivan Gym.
Saint Ignatius' Blue and Gold freshmen teams got things started with impressive victories over St. John's freshmen squads.
The Wildcats' jayvees found themselves trailing, 15-8, after the first quarter and the Titans, who feature a JV team with plenty of size and strength, led by nine points with 6 minutes and 24 seconds remaining in the first half.
Saint Ignatius came to life offensively at that point and, on the strength of a layup by point guard Joe Isabella off a steal and assist by post Mikal Outcalt, a basket in traffic around the rim by guard Andre Wolford, a layup by freshman guard Deven Stover off an assist from forward Dre'Mont Jones and a strong driving one-hander by Wolford, trailed by just three points with 4:26 left in the half.
The Titans would push their lead to eight points, only to watch the Wildcats close to three points again - 27-24 - on an authoritative move to the basket by Stover, a layup down the lane by Outcalt off an offensive rebound and assist by Stover and the free-throw shooting of post John Abdelnour.
St. John's Jesuit took a 30-24 lead to its locker room at halftime after burying a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
The Titans came out strong in the second half and led by 13 points with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter.
Saint Ignatius, behind two three-point plays by gritty and versatile guard/forward Dylan Nieto and two free throws by Stover, cut the deficit to five points with 1:47 left in the third quarter.
St. John's Jesuit kept its poise, however, and increased its advantage to 55-46 with 4:57 remaining to be played.
The Wildcats still had plenty of fire in the tank, as after two free throws by Stover, a steal and a layup by guard Jack Michals, a steal and a layup by Nieto, another steal by Michals and a second- and third-effort putback by Wolford Coach Arthur's team trailed, 65-62, with 18.1 seconds left.
A second consecutive dramatic finish wasn't in the cards, however. The Titans, who were 23-of-31 from the free-throw line, including 14-of-19 in the fourth quarter, sealed the game at the charity stripe.
Saint Ignatius, which committed 18 turnovers to St. John's Jesuit's 16, was 18-of-25 from the foul line. The 'Cats were 9-of-11 from the charity stripe over the final seven minutes. The Titans had three 3-pointers and Saint Ignatius, normally a solid perimeter shooting team, did not hit a shot from beyond the arc.
Stover (17 points), Nieto (13 points) and Wolford (10 points) led the 'Cats' offense.
SAINT IGNATIUS FRESHMEN BLUE TEAM 58, ST. JOHN'S JESUIT 40: This deep and talented group improved to 10-1 as the men in the middle - Tim Kiefer and Liam Eichenberg - each scored 13 points.
SAINT IGNATIUS FRESHMEN GOLD TEAM 59, ST. JOHN'S JESUIT 38: Let the corner assure you that the future is very bright my friends. This golden collection of impressive athletes stands 11-2 after handing the stronger version of the Titans' freshmen only their second setback in 16 games.
Point guard Kyle Kalish, the son of former Wildcats basketball great Scott Kalish, helped show the way with 19 points and strong and active post Sharief Irish, a nephew of former Cathedral Latin School basketball legend Colin Irish, muscled in 12 points.