Eric Black, Derek Sloan and Francisco Santiago help show the way as Saint Ignatius takes the sting out of the Hornets in front of an enthusiastic and student body-led crowd in Sullivan Gymnasium.
*See the corner's football note on Dameon Willis, which follows the basketball story, and also check out the corner's story from early this afternoon on Jim Byrne's commitment to the Fighting Irish.
*Other winter sports recaps follow the note on Dameon Willis.
Here is the look at the 16-point victory by the Wildcats of Coach Sean O'Toole '87.
By Eddie Dwyer
After a bit of a slow start, the Saint Ignatius Wildcats unleashed their talent, balance and depth en route to wearing down the John Hay Hornets, 79-63, in Saturday night’s varsity basketball season opener in Sullivan Gymnasium.
Coach Sean O’Toole’s Wildcats, picking up their attack after scoring just nine points in the first quarter, built an 18-point lead with 4 minutes and 24 seconds remaining to be played and displayed the closing skill one associates with a team ranked second in The Plain Dealer’s Top 25 preseason poll.
Is there work to be done? Of course, it was the first game of the season.
However, the Wildcats, who have a nice blend of proven experience and promise, played solid defense inside and went strong to the offensive glass in handing the Hornets, ranked 12th in preseason, their third loss in four games.
Leading the way on Saturday night were 6-foot-6 junior post Eric Black and All-District senior guard and Tri-Captain Francisco Santiago with 17- and 18-point performances, respectively. Senior Tri-Captain and post/forward Derek Sloan, another All-District selection from last season, also tossed in 17 points.
John Hay’s 6-5 standout Maurice O’Field led all scorers with 23 points.
With no less than 12 players contributing quality minutes, Saint Ignatius moved to a 64-47 lead on a layup by gifted junior guard Kyle Berger off a pin-point assist from 6-6 All-District senior post Alec Papesch and an offensive rebound by Papesch that he converted into a put-back with slightly more than five minutes left. Papesch and Sloan had eight and seven rebounds, respectively.
Eric Black, who teams with his twin brother – 6-5 David – in what is a deep front line for Coach O’Toole, sank two free throws that gave his team the 18-point cushion at the 4:24 mark.
John Hay, which was coming off a loss to the Lakers of Max S. Hayes Vocational School, cut the deficit to 13 points with three minutes remaining.
The ‘Cats responded in style, however, as potential-rich sophomore post Jaylin McDonald converted an offensive rebound into a free throw and Eric Black made a nice move and scored off an inbounds play.
Saint Ignatius would go on to seal Coach O’Toole’s fifth consecutive opening-night win in his five seasons at his alma mater off an athletic move across the lane by Berger, a picture-perfect transition pass from junior Tri-Captain Danny Bova to Santiago for two points and, before you could blink an eye, a layup by Santiago off a Bova steal and assist, a soft driving one-hander by junior forward Isiah Barbra and a steal by junior post Jake Strippy.
The Wildcats, who out-rebounded the Hornets, 46-28, will be back on the practice floor Monday afternoon in preparation for next Saturday night’s encounter with the Shaw High Cardinals, a.k.a. “The Red Ball Express,” in Sullivan Gymnasium.
****On another football note from Saturday (see the Jim Byrne story below), Saint Ignatius’ standout junior safety Dameon Willis, another product of Saint Ignatius of Antioch elementary school, has received a scholarship offer from the Bearcats of Cincinnati. Congratulations to Dameon and his family.
HERE ARE THE WILDCATS’ HOCKEY, SWIMMING AND WRESTLING RECAPS FROM SATURDAY
Hockey: Saint Ignatius 2, University School 2. The game was played on the ice in Brooklyn’s John M. Coyne Recreation Center.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Brian Fitzgerald and Joe Malone. Brady Wells assisted on Fitzgerald’s goal and the assist on Malone’s lamp lighter came from Jack Wiegandt.
However, the Preppers from University School, under the direction of highly successful head coach Bill Beard (300-plus career victories), responded with two third-period goals in this Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League Red North Division encounter. Eddie Gable and Sam Strang provided the clutch equalizers.
Wildcats senior keeper Bernie Cooke had 22 saves. Saint Ignatius (4-2-1) will host Gilmour Academy on Sunday (tomorrow). The puck will drop in the John M. Coyne Recreation Center at 6:45 p.m.
Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit: The Wildcats stood in 58th place with 14 points.
Swimming and Diving: Led by Derek Hren’s victory in the 100 breast stroke, Saint Ignatius finished among the top five in the prestigious Ned Reeb Invitational at The Ohio State University.