CLUTCH SCORING BY JUNIOR POSTS ALEC PAPESCH AND DEREK SLOAN AND SOME TIMELY DEFENSE SAVE THE NIGHT, AS THE 'CATS IMPROVE TO 13-5 WITH A GUTSY ROAD WIN. JV 'CATS IMPROVE TO 16-2 WITH THEIR NINTH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY.
*GEORGE DICAMILLO (120 POUNDS), JIMMY FERRITTO (106), TOMMY ZEIGLER (113) AND ETHAN JANESZ (160) WIN THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS MATCHES AT THE NORTH ROYALTON DIVISION I SECTIONAL ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
GEORGE'S WINNING STREAK NOW STANDS AT 66 MATCHES AND HIS SCHOOL RECORD FOR CAREER WINS IS AT 144.
*MAPLE HIEGHTS WON THE TEAM TITLE WITH 245 POINTS, THE 'CATS WERE SECOND WITH 212 AND PARMA WAS THIRD AT 190.
*JOINING THE WILDCATS' FOUR CHAMPIONS AT NEXT WEEK'S MENTOR DISTRICT WILL BE NICK LEES (152), DAN LYNCH (138), ANTHONY MCLAUGHLIN (170), SCOTT CHASE (182), BRETT BENDOKAITIS (195) AND MAX BAUGHMAN (220).
*CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF SAINT IGNATIUS' WRESTLERS AND TO COACH MARK SULLIVAN AND HIS STAFF, AS COACH SULLIVAN'S PROGRAM CONTINUES TO MAKE TREMENDOUS STRIDES.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT FEBRUARY 2012
Saint Ignatius’ gifted junior forward/post Derek Sloan said he and his teammates have nothing but respect for Villa Angela-St. Joseph and they realized that at some point during Saturday night’s game the Vikings were going to make a run.
What Sloan and the rest of the Wildcats weren’t expecting was the magnitude of the run Coach Babe Kwasniak’s team put together.
Saint Ignatius, leading by 20 points with less than a minute gone in the third quarter, watched VASJ put together a 30-8 run on the Vikings’ legendary tile floor before the ‘Cats responded down the stretch and walked away with a 53-46 victory.
Coach Sean O’Toole’s team, which snapped a tough three-game losing streak, improved to 13-5 by outscoring VASJ, 11-2, over the final 2 minutes and 38 seconds.
Yes, just another wild one in Viking Village.
“At halftime, we told the guys we have to win the first three minutes of the second half,” said Coach O’Toole ’87, whose team led, 30-14, after the first 16 minutes. “I don’t know how many times we’ve had that speech about keeping separation. You have a lead, you look up and it’s like ----."
“I’ve watched this (VASJ) team twice live and on TV and they are jelling and getting better at the exact right time,” Coach O’Toole continued. “They have weapons.”
Saint Ignatius, ranked 11th in this past week’s Plain Dealer Top 25 poll, had Coach Kwasniak’s weapons under control for almost entire the first half. The 17th-ranked Vikings (11-8), who were coming off an impressive 16-point victory at St. Peter Chanel on Friday night, managed just four points against the Wildcats’ active help defense in the first eight minutes and hit on just 5 of their 27 shots from the field in the first half.
Leading, 14-4, entering the second quarter, Saint Ignatius moved to its 16-point halftime lead on a layup by Sloan off a nice dish from senior point guard Jack Tupa, a strong offensive rebound and put back by senior forward Jack Mahoney, eight points from senior wing Eric Williams that included two 3-pointers, some determined work down low by junior forward Matt Gawlik and an authoritative drive by junior guard Francisco Santiago. Mahoney gave his team some solid and vital minutes off the bench.
After standout junior post Alec Papesch scored off another Tupa assist and Tupa buried two free throws, the Wildcats appeared to be in control, 34-14, at the 7:10 mark of the third quarter.
However, as history will tell you, no lead is too big when you’re playing in the storied gym on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Chipping away behind the play of its talented backcourt tandem of junior Duane Gibson and senior Karlton Garner, the Vikings closed to 34-28 on a steal and a layup by Gibson with 3:05 remaining in the third quarter. Gibson, who scored on an assortment of drives and jumpers, finished with a game-high 24 points.
Saint Ignatius, the fourth seed at the talent-rich Solon Division I sectional/district, responded with a 3-pointer by senior guard Brian Joseph and a basket around the rim by Papesch and led, 39-30, entering the fourth quarter.
With Gibson continuing to score timely baskets and making his presence felt on defense, and senior guard Mel Burke Jr. hitting two nothing-but-net 3-pointers, VASJ tied the score at 42 on a nose-for-the- ball follow by Garner and completed its 30-8 eruption on a gliding-through-traffic basket by Gibson that put the Vikings in front, 44-42, with 2:45 remaining to be played.
“One thing about our team is that we never quit,” said Papesch, who, along with Sloan, emphasized that the Wildcats’ purpose down the stretch was high-percentage shots.
Forcing three crucial turnovers, Saint Ignatius regained control on a layup by Sloan, a seal by Santiago and a layup by Sloan off a picture-perfect assist from Papesch. Sloan, who battled foul trouble, led the ‘Cats with 18 points, 12 of those coming in the first quarter.
Saint Ignatius, which plays John Adams on Tuesday afternoon in Quicken Loans Arena, sealed the victory on an athletic three-point play by Papesch and the free-throw shooting of Sloan, Tupa and Santiago. Papesch finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.
VASJ’s outstanding post Demonte Flannigan had a tough night, as the 6-foot-8 junior did not score from the field, finished 17 points below his average and fouled out with 1:01 left.
“Obviously, they are a different team when he (Flannigan) is off the floor,” said Coach O’Toole. “But those are big plays that Alec makes when he is able to hold his ground (defensively).
“We knew they would make a run,” Coach O’Toole continued. “They are a well-coached team. Babe does a heck of a job. They didn’t panic (down 20 points).”
SAINT IGNATIUS' JAYVEES ARE NOT FINE WITH JUST NINE. THE YOUNG 'CATS WANT IT TO BE AN 11 FROM HEAVEN WHEN THEIR SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE. ANOTHER GRBAC FINDS THE RIMS IN VIKING VILLAGE TO HIS LIKING.
In defeating Villa Angela-St. Joseph's junior varsity team, 56-31, on Saturday night, the Wildcats' junior varsity won its ninth consecutive game and improved its overall record to 16-2 heading into Tuesday afternoon's 1:45 encounter with the John Adams Rebels at The Q.
It was business as usual for the JV 'Cats, as they made themselves right at home on the shores of Lake Erie by taking an 11-0 lead with 4 minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Thanks in part to a smooth jumper by 6-6 sophomore post Eric Black and a coast-to-coast two-pointer by sophomore wing/forward Isiah Barbra, Saing Ignatius led, 22-9, at halftime.
The Wildcats' version of the "Killer B's" - Black, Barbra, sophomore point guard Danny Bova and sophomore wing Kyle Berger - helped Saint Ignatius extend its lead to 38-21 entering the final eight minutes.
Applying most of the third-quarter damage were baskets by Bova and Berger, a put back and another kiss-the-sky jumper by Black and two free throws by Barbra. Sandwiched between all of that was a nice leaning, body-control one-hander high off the glass by sophomore guard Matt Ivancic.
Two impressive attacks down the lane by Bova, an athletic move by 6-4 freshman Jaylin McDonald off a Bova assist, a sweet dish from Berger to Bova and another follow by Black had the Vikings wanting to come to shore in the fourth quarter.
The night was also highlighted by two impressive 3-pointers by 'Cats' sophomore guard Jack Grbac.
How fitting it was to have another Grbac playing on the legendary floor in Viking Village. Jack's dad, Elvis, was an outstanding football and basketball player at St. Joseph (now Villa Angela-St. Joseph), went on to a storied career as the quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines and became an All-Pro signal-caller in the NFL. Elvis is currently the quarterbacks coach for Saint Ignatius' highly sucessful varsity and junior-varsity football programs.
And, the corner would be remiss if we didn't mention that Jack's aunt, Barb, was also a standout in basketball for the Lady Vikings.
Time passages.