A dominant and decisive third quarter shows the way, as Saint Ignatius improves to 7-2.
Francisco Santiago and Alec Papesch combine for 32 points and the Black twins, Eric and David, provide quality minutes. The Wildcats take care of the basketball and lay down some nasty defense, especially after the halftime break.
Coach Larry Arthur's junior varsity 'Cats now stand 8-1 after defeating the Preppers, 62-38.
Here is the varsity game story and the junior varsity recap.
University Heights – Saint Ignatius’ 6-foot-6 junior post Eric Black said it was about deriving energy from the key players, forcing turnovers and taking care of the basketball.
If that sounds easy, then you haven’t been around the game referred to as “hoops” for very long.
The Saint Ignatius Wildcats, leading by 11 points after the first 16 minutes, at times made it look easy following halftime on Friday night as they put together a commanding third quarter and went on to defeat the University School Preppers, 68-45, at John Carroll University’s Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.
After outscoring the Preppers, 21-6, and limiting them to just six free throws over those decisive eight minutes, Saint Ignatius won for the seventh time in nine games this season.
University School, which couldn’t buy a basket against the defensive pressure the Wildcats employed in the third quarter, slipped to 7-3.
“The thing is that they have kids that can absolutely score,” said Saint Ignatius head coach Sean O’Toole ’87 of University School. “That Bentz kid (Preppers senior guard/forward Sam Bentz) is one of the best shooters in the city, without a doubt. And the Black kid (US senior guard Curtis Black) is a dangerous attacker. By no means are we where we want to be defensively, but it’s a start. We improved from last weekend in that capacity.
“They’re a good team and they’re well coached, they run good stuff,” Coach O’Toole continued. "We’re better for playing them.”
Coach O’Toole, whose team will be back on the road Saturday night to face the Titans from Lorain, also emphasized what a key its was to get off to such a fast start, courtesy of senior guard and tri-captain Francisco Santiago.
With “Cisco” scoring 12 points, including three 3-pointers, the Wildcats held a 21-13 lead after the first quarter.
After a 3-pointer by Bentz cut the deficit to five points early in the second quarter, Saint Ignatius’ 6-7 senior post Alec Papesch went to work inside and junior point guard and tri-captain Danny Bova scored off an assist from junior guard Kyle Berger.
On the strength of a driving one-hander by Santiago, a 3-pointer by senior point guard Bryan Fisher and a smooth floater down the lane by senior wing Austin Sterpka, the Wildcats led, 34-23, entering halftime.
Describing a third quarter in which he scored eight of his 10 points and combined with his twin brother, 6-5 David, and Papesch in giving Saint Ignatius a dominant presence inside, Eric Black said his teammates deserve the credit for getting him the ball and making the right play, and that he fulfilled.
Saint Ignatius, ranked eighth in this week’s Associated Press Division I state poll and fourth in the area by The Plain Dealer, gave its faithful several fulfilling moments in the third quarter.
First it was Eric Black turning a Bova assist into two points, Eric Black tipping in his own miss, Eric Black burying two free throws and Eric Black scoring on a reverse layup along the baseline.
Then it was Papesch converting an authoritative drive down the lane into a three-point play and “Pappy” running the floor and, in one motion, leaving his feet to haul in a pass from Santiago and laying the ball in
off the glass.
David Black, who was solid at both ends of the floor, hit a smooth Bill Walton-like turn-around jumper that pushed the ‘Cats’ lead to 52-25 late in the third quarter. David was also 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
Saint Ignatius, which committed just seven turnovers, was led by Papesch’s 17 points and 15 points from Santiago. Curtis Black finished with 15 points for the Preppers and Bentz scored a hard-earned nine points on
three 3-pointers.
“Baby steps, we made some strides tonight,” said Coach O’Toole, whose team was coming off two tough losses last weekend versus the state’s top-ranked Columbus Northland Vikings and the six-time state champion Fighting Irish from St. Vincent-St. Mary. “And we’ll continue to try to make strides.”
JUNIOR VARSITY RECAP
Saint Ignatius 62, University School 38: Coach Larry Arthur's team got contributions from several players en route to winning for the eighth time in nine games.
The JV 'Cats put together a 13-0 run in the first quarter that was fueled by two free throws by sophomore guard Andre Wolford, a basket by Wolford off an assist from sophomore guard Joe Isabella, a breakaway layup by sophomore guard/forward Dylan Nieto and a strong move to the basket by Nieto.
Also contributing to the run was the sound defense played by sophomore guards Sam Fuller and Luke Russell.
After sophomore point guard Zach Johnson scored off an assist from Russell, the Wildcats led, 20-8, entering the second quarter. Playing a sound trapping defense, Saint Ignatius built a 33-8 lead on a reverse layup and a three-point play by sophomore post Mikal Outcalt and a 3-pointer by Isabella with 2:47 remaining in the second quarter.
A jumper by sophomore guard John Kirincic and a basket by sophomore forward Matt Roggenburk enabled Saint Ignatius to take a 37-11 lead to its locker room at halftime.
It was more of the same in the third quarter as an Outcalt jumper and a smooth driving one-hander by sophomore forward Dre' Mont Jones extended the 'Cats' advantage to 41-11.
Behind some more strong work by Fuller, including his sweeping hook shot, Saint Ignatius maintained a 30-point lead entering the final seven minutes. JV quarters are seven minutes.
Fuller and Outcalt led the Wildcats' lengthy scoring column with eight and seven points, respectively. Saint Ignatius had 25 2-point baskets, one 3-pointer and was 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. University School finished with nine 2-pointers, five 3-pointers and hit on 5 of its 14 shots from the charity stripe.