PAPESCH AND SLOAN COMBINE FOR 32 POINTS AND JOSEPH BURIES FIVE 3-POINTERS AS THE 'CATS TURN BACK THE SEASONED CUBS.
THE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM DISPLAYS TALENT AND DEPTH IN WEARING DOWN DETROIT JESUIT'S JAYVEES, 62-37.
*CONGRATULATIONS go out to the Wildcats' swimming and diving team, which made an impressive showing at the talent-rich CSU Viking Invitational on Saturday. Showing the way was junior Derek Wren, who won the 200 IM (1:56.05) and the 100 breaststroke (57.24), and also swam on two second-place relays, and sophomore Peter Simcox, who brought home the 100 butterfly (52.03).
*AND WE ALSO SEND CONGRATULATIONS OUT TO MIKE SVETINA, BLAKE THOMAS, RUSTOM KHOURI AND KEVIN KAVALEC FOR EARNING A SPOT ON THE PLAIN DEALER ALL-STAR FOOTBALL TEAM. MIKE PULLED OFF THE TRIFECTA BY GARNERING DISTRICT, STATE AND PD DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT DECEMBER 2011
It didn’t matter what day of the week it was or whether it was in the spring, the 90-degree afternoons in the summer or the fall.
Every time you walked past Sullivan Gymnasium and stuck your head in the door to see what was going on, there was always one constant – senior guard Brian Joseph working on his jump shot.
Saturday night, Joseph, who by now knows every board, ever angle and every bounce the Sully floor and its rims provide, saw his endless hours of work pay huge dividends.
Saint Ignatius, with Joseph burying five crucial 3-pointers and junior post/forwards Alec Papesch and Derek Sloan stepping up big around the rim, turned away a talented and experienced basketball team from Detroit Jesuit, 57-54, in the Wildcats’ season opener.
“I’ve never had a player who works as hard as he does in the off season,” said Coach Sean O’Toole ’87 of Joseph. “These are the rewards, when you work that hard.”
The Wildcats had their work cut out for them from the get-go, as Detroit Jesuit (2-1) moved to a 15-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Picking up its intensity on defense and getting the ball in the hands of the strong and skilled Papesch and Sloan, Saint Ignatius went on a 14-3 run.
The surge was highlighted by a layup by Papesch off an assist from junior guard Francisco Santiago, a strong move around the rim by Papesch, a baseline jumper by Sloan, Joseph’s second nothing-but-net 3-pointer, a determined basket by sophomore forward David Black and a quick trey by Joseph off the dribble that put the Wildcats in front, 21-18, with 2 minutes and 12 seconds remaining in the first half.
After a 3-pointer by Sloan, Saint Ignatius led, 24-20, and the ‘Cats held a 25-22 lead at halftime.
“They came out in a match-up zone, which in a short period of (preseason) time is not something we worked on a lot,” said Coach O’Toole. “But we stayed the course and weathered the storm. We got some shooters in there who knocked down shots, got some touches at the rim and made a run. And we took the lead, which is important, because we play well with the lead.”
After Papesch scored down low off a perfect dish from senior guard/forward Eric Williams, Saint Ignatius maintained a three-point advantage entering the final eight minutes.
Most of the fourth quarter belonged to the Wildcats, as a two-handed slam by the 6-foot-4 Sloan off an alley-oop pass from Williams, a Papesch follow, another Papesch score down low off an on-the-money assist from Williams and a driving one-hander down the lane by the 6-6 Papesch showed the way to a 10-point lead with just over five minutes remaining.
The Cubs from Detroit Jesuit, regarded by many in the Motor City to be a serious contender for state laurels, weren’t about to go into hibernation.
Coach Pat Donnelly’s team, which is now 0-3 against the Wildcats, trailed, 47-43, with 2:44 left after junior point guard Andrew Horde and senior guard/forward Chris Jenkins hit back-to-back jumpers. The 6-7 Jenkins is a Colorado recruit.
Saint Ignatius responded with Joseph’s fifth 3-pointer and led by nine points after Sloan made an authoritative move down the lane.
The Wildcats, who had a tough night from the free-throw line, missed the front end of two key one-and-one situations and, after Horde buried a 3-pointer from deep in the right corner, Detroit Jesuit trailed, 56-54, with 43.4 seconds to go.
In the final 11.2 seconds, Cubs senior guard Cameron Fowler watched his jumper from the top of the key rim out, Papesch hit one of two free throws and Detroit Jesuit came up short on a desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Papesch led all scorers with 18 points and Joseph and Sloan tossed in 15 and 14 points, respectively. Sloan also had four blocks and he and Papesch controlled the boards, especially in the second-effort department.
Jenkins paced the Cubs with 12 points and Horde was right behind with 11 points.
“They’re a phenomenally athletic team, but we drew some big timely charges, which are momentum swingers,” Coach O’Toole said. “When we need to, our identity has always been scoring at the rim and Eric Williams did a great job of getting Pappy (Papesch) and Derek (Sloan) some quick touches. We got some easy quick scores that got us a cushion. And thank God for the cushion, because in seven days (of preparation) there are not a lot of situational things you can do.
“Our kids were playing on the run and God Bless them, it’s a great win with all of the factors being considered and how good (Detroit Jesuit) is.”
FOR THA---REE!: “It starts with Derek and Pappy,” Joseph said of his five-3pointers. “They’re dominating down low, so the help came off my guy. Those kick-outs (passes to Joseph) were huge. I worked really hard this week on my shot in preparation. I was just feeling it, and let it fly. I was down here (at school) for two hours every day in the summer working on my shot. Every day that I can before practice, I shoot ninth period on the gun. In about 45 to 50 minutes, I can get close to 200 shots off. Today, I was here from about 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and then we got ready for the game. Anytime I get a chance to get in the gym, I do it.”
ALEC PAPESCH AND DEREK SLOAN ON POUNDING IT DOWN LOW: “We spread the floor really well and out of our bump look we got to the wings,” said Papesch. “Everyone ran their stuff right and that allowed Derek and I and BJ (Brian Joseph) to get open. We knew what we had to do. All of the hard work in practice and in film showed up on the floor.”
“They were really good, but we spent all week preparing for them,” said Sloan. “We were ready to take on the challenge. We were dominant around the rim and (Pappy and I) can even step outside.”
PAPESCH ON PLAYING WITHOUT STANDOUT SENIOR GUARD JACK TUPA: “He was still a leader, even though he wasn’t out on the court,” Papesch said of Tupa, who is sidelined until late January because of a broken foot suffered in preseason. “He helped coach us. If I didn’t know a play I came to him, because he’s the veteran. This was for him.”
‘CATS' JAYVEES IMPRESS: I have to point out that in this old-timer’s opinion, the young men who make up Saint Ignatius’ 2011-12 junior-varsity basketball team are extremely fortunate to have two of the most seasoned and knowledgeable basketball coaches in the area – Larry Arthur and John Cooney ’67.
Saturday night, those young men proved they are taking advantage of that coaching, as they wore down Detroit Jesuit, 62-37.
While we will have more on the jayvees as the season progresses, the corner was left with some early, and hopefully lasting, impressions.
I love the toughness, skill and leadership qualities of the backcourt tandem of Danny Bova (who also dresses for varsity) and Ryan Napoli, the nose for the basket and endless hustle of Matt Ivancic and 6-4 Jacob Strippy, the all-around talents of 6-6 post Eric Black (who dresses for varsity) and the promise of 6-4 freshman Jaylin McDonald.
Black, the twin brother of David Black (see varsity game story), not only displayed strength and skill around the basket, but had this seasoned gym rat smiling when he also sent two high-arching 3-pointers softly through the net.
The JV team appears to have plenty of quality depth, including, among others, 6-4 Pete Mahoney, 6-2 Isiah Barbra, Stephen McDonnell and John Thomas.