The Wildcats (2-0) travel to the storied Canton Memorial Field House on Saturday night to face the tradition-rich Bulldogs (2-2) of McKinley.
Transition defense will be one of Coach Sean O’Toole’s main objectives. The Pups,” as McKinley is affectionately referred to by its faithful, push the ball hard whenever possible.
Action will begin with a junior varsity game at 6, followed by the varsity tipoff at 7:30.
The all-time series stands in favor of McKinley at 28-10. However, Coach O’Toole ‘87, now in his fifth season at his alma mater, has guided the Wildcats to three consecutive victories over the “The Pups,” including a 50-40 triumph at the Memorial Field House in December of 2010 and a 65-61 victory at Sullivan Gymnasium last December. Under Coach O’Toole, the ‘Cats are 1-1 in the Field House. Coach O’Toole enters Saturday’s
game with a record at Saint Ignatius of 68-26.
McKinley is under the direction of second-year head coach Keith Noftz, who after a 62-51 loss at Massillon Jackson on Tuesday night is 20-10 with the Bulldogs. Coach Noftz's career mark stands at 228-161. Before being selected as the head coach at McKinley, Keith was an assistant coach at Bowling Green State University, the University of Evansville and Central Michigan. He coached on the high school level in Ohio at Gibsonburg, Otsego and Van Wert, and in South Bend, Indiana at John Adams High School. His Van Wert teams compiled a record of 148-65 and made three state Final Four appearances. In 1987 and 1990, Coach Noftz garnered Ohio Coach of the Year honors from the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association.
Saint Ignatius finished 16-6 last season and McKinley was 18-8, advancing to the regional finals in Division I.
Here is Coach O’Toole’s outlook on the McKinley game, including the venue, the corner’s look at the Cat Stats, Coach Larry Arthur’s junior varsity team and some “Pups” history. And we check in on what the
Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network is up to.
Ohio City – Saint Ignatius head basketball coach Sean O’Toole was, as always, very direct
in describing the 2012-13 version of the Canton McKinley Bulldogs.
“They give a very hard push (up the floor) and are very rim-attack oriented,” Coach O’Toole said after he and his Wildcats completed the first day of preparation for Saturday night’s 39th meeting with the Bulldogs, which will take place in the historical Memorial Field House.
“They bring an inside-out presence,” Coach O’Toole continued. “Their guards can shoot it and they have the 6-foot-8 Mike Mills back at center. He’s skilled and strong at the rim, and then you put the quickness they have on the perimeter around him with Alexander (5-9 senior point guard Hollis Alexander); Baylock (5-9 senior guard Delode Baylock); Ortiz (6-3 junior wing Paul Ortiz); Burton (6-4 junior post Sam Burton); the Pittman kid (Marcellius Pittman), a 6-2 sophomore they bring off the bench, and Provance (6-0 senior guard Nate Provance), who might be their best shooter. They are all very skilled and athletic, and are very comfortable behind the (3-point) arc.”
Alexander totaled 38 points in the Bulldogs’ victories over New Philadelphia and Boardman this season and he and Mills, who is a four-year varsity mainstay, were All-Federal League selections last winter. Mills and Alexander have to continue to step up as head coach Keith Noftz looks to fill the void left by the graduation of Devaugntah Williams, the Stark County Player of the Year in 2011-12.
Mills scored 17 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, had four assists and four blocked shots in Tuesday night's loss at Jackson. Alexander tossed in 16 points, but no other Bulldog scored more than six.
Coach O’Toole went on to emphasize how well coached and disciplined McKinley is and how “extremely well” they push the ball after missed shots.
“So obviously transition defense will be a real key for us, as well as limiting a guy like Mills to one shot,” said Coach O’Toole. “We have to keep their guards in front of us!”
Although Saint Ignatius saw very little man-to-man defense in its victories over John Hay and Shaw, Coach O’Toole pointed out that the Bulldogs play man and that they attack the ball and the dribble “pretty darn well.”
Coach Noftz will employ man-to-man in the full court and will also show a little bit of diamond pressure.
“They have a great tradition and are playing at home over the holidays, so it’s going to be a great, great test for us in our first road game,” said Coach O’Toole.
THE VENUE: “We’re excited, it is absolutely the best venue in high school basketball,” Coach O’Toole said of the Memorial Field House. “If it was up to me, we would play Canton McKinley twice every year, home and away. That’s how much we respect and enjoy playing them.”
The Memorial Field House was opened in 1950 and is home to the McKinley basketball and volleyball teams. It is located at the site of McKinley High School, legendary Fawcett Stadium and the CT Branin Natatorium.
As cantonmckinley.com points out, five local state championship basketball teams have played at the Memorial Field House – one girls team and three boys teams from McKinley and one boys team from Lehman. The Field House has also hosted numerous OHSAA tournament games, concerts and community events. Renovations during 2003 and 2004 brought about a new parquet floor, new lighting, new seating, new baskets, new scoreboards, new message boards and special displays, which pay tribute to
Canton’s rich basketball tradition.
SPEAKING OF THAT TRADITION: “The Pups,” as was mentioned above, have won three boys state basketball
championships (1984 and back-to-back in 2005 and 2006). They have made 23 Final Four appearances, have appeared in 11 state title games, were state runners-up eight times and Associated Press State Poll Champions eight times.
Former All-Ohio post player and Michigan State standout Raymar Morgan helped lead McKinley to its back-to-back state crowns and a player with Cleveland ties – the crowd-pleasing Gary Grant – fueled the Bulldogs' first boys crown in 1984.
“The General,” as Gary Grant was nicknamed, went on to an All-American career as a guard for the Michigan
Wolverines and played several years in the NBA. What many Ohio basketball fans don’t recall or realize is that Gary honed his game as a young man at the Cudell Recreation Center, which is located on West Boulevard on Cleveland’s West Side.
When he was in junior high, Gary would outplay older high school players in games of “Horse” and 21 at Cudell. His brother, Donald, was a mainstay in basketball for legendary West Tech High School on Cleveland’s West Side, which now the “West Tech Lofts” apartment building that you see as you travel on I-90.
Gary’s father, who was a minister, was transferred to a church community in Canton and the rest is
history. However, during his All-American career at Michigan, Gary kept a promise to those who helped guide his skills at Cudell and returned to West Boulevard one summer afternoon and gave a heart-warming talk to the little kids at Cudell. This corner had the sincere privilege of covering and reporting on
Gary’s inspirational message that day for The Plain Dealer.
CAT STATS: Saint Ignatius enters the McKinley game averaging 71 points. Senior guard Francisco Santiago is
averaging 17 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds, and 6-5 senior post Derek Sloan, who returns to action this week (sore ankle), is averaging 17 points and six rebounds. Six-foot-6 junior post Eric Black is carrying averages of 15 points and 6 rebounds; 6-6 senior post Alec Papesch is scoring 8 points a game and
pulling down an average of 7.5 rebounds; junior guard Kyle Berger is scoring 6 points an outing and averaging 2 assists; 6-6 sophomore post Jaylin McDonald is grabbing 7 rebounds a game and has 4 blocks; junior point Danny Bova is averaging 4 assists and Bova and Berger have 5 and 4 steals, respectively.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE: The corner got its first look at Coach Arthur’s 2-0 junior varsity team during its 69-32 victory over Shaw last weekend at Sullivan Gymnasium and came away quite
impressed with the team’s depth, talent and unselfish play.
Andre Wolford, Dre’Mont Jones, Dylan Nieto, John Kirincic, Mikal Outcalt, Matt Roggenburk, Jack Michals, Luke Russell and Liam Coyne were among those who left an impression, but truthfully,
I didn’t see a JV Wildcat who didn’t leave it all on the floor.
A big test lies ahead on Saturday in Canton, and the 6-3 Outcalt, who is probably better known for
his talents as a goalie for Saint Ignatius’ nationally acclaimed soccer program, said he is excited to have the opportunity to play in the Memorial Field House.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST: The dynamic duo of John Fanta ’13 and Greg Ziton ’13 will bring you the live broadcast of the Saint Ignatius-McKinley varsity game over the SIBN and the smooth and savvy Paddy White ’14 and Cole Larson ’14 will have the call on the junior varsity game against the Bulldogs.
John Fanta reports that his college list of acceptance now includes, Fordham, Seton Hall, John Carroll
University, Ohio University and St. Bonaventure. Congrats to John!
It will be a busy weekend for John and his sidekick – devoted senior basketball manager and SIBN halftime analyst Patrick Gibbons – as they will be serving as assistant coaches for the annual seniors versus faculty pre-Christmas break basketball game on Friday. The tipoff in Sullivan Gymnasium will be high noon. The head coach for the seniors will be Student Body President Carlos Pozuelo.