Francisco Santiago, Jack Tupa and Alec Papesch lead the way, as the 'Cats will now take a 10-2 record into Sunday's game against the state's second-ranked Division I team - the Pickerington High School Central Tigers. The game is part of the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout at Walsh University and is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
Paddy Spellacy, Mike Abood and Matt Kovesdy help show the way for Coach Pat O'Rourke's Men of Ice. Reports from the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn are saying that Wildcats' gifted senior forward Liam Geither suffered a leg injury that required stitches. However, we won't speculate on how serious (or not serious) of an injury it is until we hear from Coach O'Rourke.
Here is the varsity basketball story, the recap on varsity hockey and the JV basketball recap.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT JANUARY 2012
Saint Ignatius’ talented junior two guard Francisco Santiago not only practices his free throws every day in Sullivan Gymnasium, but also does a workout routine with his father, Francisco, that keeps “Cisco,” as his coaches and teammates refer to him, ” focused on how precious the charity stripe is.
“I have to make 10 free throws in a row and, if any of them hit the rim, I have to run laps,” said Santiago after he helped the Wildcats turn back a physically strong and defensive-minded Walsh Jesuit team, 63-55, in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Sullivan Gym on Saturday night. “Yeah, even the ones I make, if they hit the rim, I run.”
Ah, there is nothing like time well-spent in the gym for a young player.
And Santiago’s time and effort came to the fore Saturday night, as his 10-for-11 performance from the free-throw line, 14 points, five rebounds and other clutch plays played huge roles in Saint Ignatius’ 10th victory in 12 games this season.
“I thought our guards were great tonight,” said Wildcats head basketball coach Sean O’Toole ’87. “Cisco was beating them down the floor and making plays and Jack (standout senior point guard Jack Tupa) had another outstanding game. Jack sees the floor so well that many times guys aren’t ready for his passes and we end up leaving points on the floor.
“They (the Walsh Warriors) are great defensively, strong and they space well,” Coach O’Toole continued. “But I thought we kept our composure and that played a huge part in us getting to the line.”
Saint Ignatius assistant coach Kirk Culler pointed out that the ‘Cats stand 10-2 despite being outrebounded for the first time this season. Led by Santiago’s work from the line, the Wildcats offset the 34-28 rebounding differential by making 25 of their 32 free-throw attempts.
The ‘Cats, ranked ninth in this week’s Plain Dealer Top 25 seven-county poll, took the early lead on a 3-pointer by Tupa and led, 9-2, after 6-foot-6 junior post Alec Papesch put back his own shot.
Displaying patience in its half-court offense and handling Walsh Jesuit’s physical approach, Saint Ignatius stretched a five-point lead after the first quarter to 27-17. The key points came on a layup by Papesch, another basket from Papesch off an alert assist from sophomore post David Black, a 3-pointer by senior guard Brian Joseph and two free throws each by Joseph and Tupa.
Although Walsh made a couple of mini runs early in the second half, the Wildcats, on the strength of 3-pointers by Tupa and Joseph, were able to build the lead back to 10 points late in the third quarter. Joseph now has 20 3-pointers on the season.
But as expected, the Warriors, playing true to their nickname, had plenty of fire left in their bellies.
After a three-point play by its multi-skilled senior guard Spencer Boyd and some determined moves to the basket by 6-5 junior forward K.C. Meyer, Walsh Jesuit trailed, 37-34. Saint Ignatius took a 39-34 lead into the final eight minutes after Black hit a smooth 15-foot jumper.
“That’s the strength of our team, we play as a family,” said Santiago, pointing to the Wildcats’ ability to hit clutch free throws and make other key plays down the stretch. “We always have each other’s back.”
Saint Ignatius, which was coming off a 37-point victory at Strongsville on Friday night, led by eight points after Papesch converted a text-book, no-look pass from Tupa into a transition layup. Tupa finished with 17 points and six assists and Papesch tossed in 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
Following a full timeout by Walsh Jesuit, Coach John Norris’ Warriors caught their second wind and, behind the play of Boyd and 6-4 senior post Nick Foschia, closed to 44-41 with 5 minutes and 45 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
It was at that point, the Wildcats, with Santiago leading the way, displayed the composure Coach O’Toole pointed to.
A free throw by senior guard/forward Eric Williams, a steal by Santiago and four clutch free throws by “Cisco” pushed the ‘Cats lead back to eight points.
A highlight-reel block by gifted 6-4 junior forward/post Derek Sloan ignited a fast break that resulted in two free throws by Tupa and a 10-point advantage with 3:59 left. After Walsh Jesuit closed to seven points, Black scored off another of Tupa’s favorite dishes. Sloan's crowd-pleasing rejection was his 21st this season.
Saint Ignatius, a team blessed with depth this winter, had to keep counter punching, as the Warriors made it a five-point game with 1:41 to go. And no one threw any bigger blows down the stretch than Santiago.
First it was “Cisco” taking a pass from Tupa and, displaying exceptional body control in the air, coming up with a three-point play along the baseline. Santiago then converted a technical foul on a Walsh Jesuit player into another free throw and Coach O’Toole’s team led by nine points with 1:26 remaining.
The Warriors made one last charge, cutting the deficit four points on a 3-pointer by senior guard Mark Mittiga with 29.1 seconds on the clock. The Wildcats kept their poise, however, and settled the issue on four more free throws – two each by Tupa and Papesch. Tupa was 7-for-8 from the line.
Walsh Jesuit, which was 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, was led by 14-point efforts from Boyd and Mittiga and 10 points by Foschia.
BRIAN BRENNAN IN THE HOUSE: Former NFL wide recevier Brian Brennan, one of the most popular players among Browns fans during his years with Cleveland, was in Sullivan Gym on Saturday night. Brian is a friend of the Tupa family and wanted to get a look at the point-guard skills of Jack Tupa. Brian was not disappointed.
The corner had the opportunity to say hello to Brian and I can say that he still looks like he could run a few precise 20-yard routes.
VARSITY HOCKEY RECAP
Saint Ignatius 3, Shaker Heights 1: Despite losing standout senior forward Liam Geither to an injury, the Wildcats were able to turn away a Shaker Heights program that is on its way back to ice hockey prominence. Geither, who reportedly suffered a leg injury that required stitches, has scored a school-record 51 goals this season.
This Red North Division encounter at the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn saw gifted senior center Paddy Spellacy score twice, including a power-play goal, and multitalented senior forward/defender Mike Abood also fire the puck into the back of the net.
Senior goalie Matt Kovesdy had 21 saves against a Raiders team that has made significant strides since its 8-0 loss to Saint Ignatius at Thornton Park on Dec. 9.
Coach Pat O’Rourke’s team will take a remarkable 32-0 record into Friday’s regular-season finale against University School at The Pond. The puck is scheduled to drop at 4:50 p.m. The Wildcats will be seeking an outright Red North Division championship.
Chris Abood, a 2011 Saint Ignatius graduate, the son of Wildcats assistant coach Keith Abood and brother to Mike Abood, told the corner in Sullivan Gym on Saturday night that Coach O’Rourke described Saturday’s victory over Shaker Heights as one of the greatest in the program’s history, especially when you consider Geither’s injury and the season-ending injury to outstanding junior center/forward and captain Miles McQuinn two weeks ago.
JV ‘CATS IMPROVE TO 11-2 THE HARD WAY
SAINT IGNATIUS 57, WALSH JESUIT 55: Saturday night’s junior varsity game against Walsh Jesuit had a bit of everything – the wild, the strange and sometimes the perfect.
Describing it as Sullivan Gymnasium’s version of the good, the bad and the ugly wouldn’t be an overstatement.
The Wildcats’ jayvees played a near-flawless first quarter, as they jumped out to a 16-0 lead and led, 22-4, entering the second quarter.
That lead was stretched to 30-11 late in the first half before Walsh Jesuit went on a 12-1 run and trailed by just eight points entering the third quarter.
From that point on, what had the early makings of a comfortable double-digit victory for Saint Ignatius became a wild second half of basketball.
The Wildcats came out strong again in the third quarter and built their lead to 16 points.
Walsh Jesuit (10-2) came right back with a 10-0 run and, after the Wildcats rode a clever driving left-hander down the lane by point guard Danny Bova and a three-point play by 6-foot-6 post Eric Black to a 10-point advantage with 2 minutes and 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Warriors closed to 56-55 with 7.4 seconds to go.
A free throw by Bova with 2.8 ticks on the clock and some strong game-ending defense by Saint Ignatius has the ‘Cats resting at 11-2 Sunday morning.
Eric Black and Dameon Willis Jr. led Saint Ignatius with 14 and 12 points, respectively.