Behind a game-high 20 points from multiskilled senior guard Jon Barnes, the outstanding floor generalship by sophomore point guard Tevin Jackson, the all-around hustle of sophomore guard Chase Toppin, and the ever-present defense, scoring and leadership from senior posts/forwards Luke Wiskes, Dom DiNunzio and Aymin Bahhur, and senior forward/guard Josh Ozanne, Coach Brian Becker's Wildcats played the ultimate team game against a program laden with Division I college recruits.
By Eddie Dwyer
Ohio City - With the fire of victory in his eyes, the clam and cool Jon Barnes referred to the word "respect" just moments after he and his Saint Ignatius teammates defeated the area's fifth-ranked Garfield Heights Bulldogs, 72-59, in front of a packed Friday night house at the Wildcats' tradition-rich Father Sullivan Gymnasium.
"No one was giving us respect going into this game," said Barnes, whose versatile and savvy basketball skills are right up there or better than many of the more highly publicized players in the area. "We lost a tough one to St. Eds last week and really looked at tonight as a statement game, in showing what we do and how we can play.
"We can compete with anybody," Barnes continued after Saint Ignatius soundly defeated a program ranked four spots higher than the 'Cats in the latest cleveland.com Top 25 seven-county area poll. "We just love the game and love to go out there and compete with anybody, no matter who it is."
Coach Brian Becker's team, and the operative word is team, controlled the tempo, played an aggressive zone/help defense and won the battle of the boards against the much taller Bulldogs. The now 9-3 'Cats, who made less than 30 percent of their shots versus St. Edward, were better than 45 percent from the field on Friday night.
Saint Ignatius' defense, which received several roars of approval from its ever-faithful Student Body, frustrated a Garfield Heights team that averaged 90 points in its seven victories and no fewer than 80 points in any of those wins. Once labeled as almost unbeatable by the local media, the Bulldogs were handed their fourth consecutive defeat on Friday night.
"Knowing what we can do, staying in our comfort zone, knocking down shots and attacking the rim," said Barnes, as he and his teammates emphasized that they did it Friday night without their top perimeter shooter, their "brother," senior guard Neeko Melendez. Neeko was injured in the St. Edward game and had to encourage his teammates from the bench after scoring a game-high 24 points, including four 3-pointers, versus the Eagles.
With Barnes scoring 11 of his 20 points, gifted senior forward/post Luke Wiskes contributing eight of his 13 points and sophomore point guard Tevin Jackson putting Garfield Heights on its heels with his ball skills, dribble drives and passing, Saint Ignatius moved to a 32-24 lead by halftime.
Also contributing significantly to that eight-point advantage were the athleticism and strength of sophomore guard Chase Toppin, and the passion in the paint by senior posts Dom DiNunzio, Aymin Bahhur, Wiskes and senior guard/forward Josh Ozanne.
The Wildcats came out in the third quarter and moved to a 12-point lead on a baseline jumper by DiNunzio and two free throws by Wiskes after Luke's strong move to the rim.
Garfield Heights closed to 36-27 off a 3-pointer by senior guard Alex Heath, but Saint Ignatius responded with an authoritative driving layup by Toppin, a 3-pointer from DiNunzio and a breakaway two points by Jackson off a turnover.
Leading, 43-27, with 4 minutes and 32 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Wildcats continued to clinic the Bulldogs in the half court and increased their lead to 20 points after DiNunzio scored off a Barnes assist and Barnes turned an assist from Wiskes into a backdoor layup.
Garfield Heights was able produce some offense in the late stages of the third quarter, but Saint Ignatius, on the strength of a basket by Ozanne courtesy of a Bahhur assist, a pull-up jumper by Jackson and two more points from Ozanne, this time from a Wiskes assist, held an 18-point lead entering the final eight minutes.
"They doubled and we moved without the ball and got easy baskets," said Wiskes. "The ball movement was just outstanding. Defensively, our rotations were fantastic tonight. We knew their strengths and their weaknesses."
Playing with what Barnes described as "an attitude," the Wildcats still led by 18 points after Wiskes buried a trey. Garfield Heights wouldn't go quietly, however, as the Bulldogs showed their pride by cutting the deficit to eight points with 3:49 left to play.
Saint Ignatius, which faces the area's fourth-ranked 10-2 Ironmen from Cleveland Catholic tonight (Saturday) at 7 in Father Sullivan Gymnasium, was able to seal the deal behind the free-throw shooting of DiNunzio and Jackson and the scoring of Barnes and Toppin.
"We wanted to front the post and we wanted to make them a jump-shooting team because of their height," said DiNunzio, the epitome of a player who leaves it all on the court. "So we did our best to stay inside of the post, where we could contest hard and rebound. We killed them on defensive rebounds."
Barnes had one more meaningful reminder before calling it a night.
"Central Catholic is just as tough as Garfield Heights, if not tougher," Jon said. "Their guards (Delshawn Jackson and Dyshawn Jackson) are very good."
BY THE NUMBERS: Along with Barnes' 20 points and Wiskes' 13 points, the 'Cats got 12 points from Jackson, 10 points courtesy of Toppin and 9 points from DiNunzio.
Garfield Heights' outstanding 6-foot-9 junior post Alonzo Gaffney finished with 13 points, as did Bulldogs guards Meechie Johnson and Julian Whiteside. Brison Waller, Garfield Heights' 6-9 junior post, finished with 11 points.
FROM COACH BECKER '77: "I thought it was a heck of a win, especially without Neeko. All of the guys stepped up tonight and played inspired basketball. That was Saint Ignatius Basketball.
"We were engaged, we rebounded, we found open people and we played with a sense of urgency. Again, it's about consistency. The St. Eds game and this game were like night and day. Hopefully, we're somewhere in between.
"Tevin Jackson played a great floor game! It was like his coming out party, the way Tev ran the offense. And he scored and played really good defense."
CONGRATULATIONS FROM THIS CORNER GO OUT TO THE OUTSTANDING JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL COACHING DUO OF CHRIS SALATA '94 AND BRIAN MCLAUGHLIN '94 WHO, WITH FRIDAY NIGHT'S 41-33 VICTORY OVER GARFIELD HEIGHTS' JAYVEES, NOW HAVE A CAREER JV COACHING RECORD AT SAINT IGNATIUS OF 80-15 (.840).
CHRIS AND BRIAN, WHO ARE IN THEIR FIFTH SEASON AS SAINT IGNATIUS' JV BASKETBALL COACHES, WILL GO FOR 81 THIS EVENING AT 5:30 IN FATHER SULLIVAN GYMNASIUM VERSUS THE JUNIOR VARSITY PROGRAM FROM CLEVELAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC.
As for Friday night's triumph over Garfield Heights, which has the JV 'Cats standing 11-1 with four consecutive victories, Saint Ignatius rode 3-pointers by forward/post Nate Sommerfeld, guard Jack Whelan and forward/guard Connor Cmiel to a 13-10 lead after the first quarter.
The tight battle continued into the second quarter, as a driving layup by Whelan, a follow by strong and active post Darius Moss and the scoring of guard/forward Griffin Hanna helped the 'Cats to a 22-18 lead heading into the halftime break.
Two 3-pointers from Hanna and an authoritative driving layup by Cmiel pushed Saint Ignatius' lead to 10 points with just under four minutes left in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs' Jayvees came storming back and took a 33-31 lead with 4:52 remaining in the fourth quarter.
A steal and a layup by ever-present sophomore forward Erik Daugenti knotted the score at 33 and the 'Cats regained control on an authoritative rebound by Sommerfeld and the exceptional hustle of Daugenti who, in what seemed like one quick motion, intercepted an attempted save by a Bulldog and laid the ball in for two points.
Sommerfeld, who turned in a solid all-around effort, helped seal the deal with a putback.
Hanna led the 'Cats with 10 points, followed by eight points from Daugenti and seven points from Cmiel. Nine Wildcats hit the scoring column.
Have a great weekend and we will see you tonight in Father Sullivan Gymnasium, again a 5:30 Junior Varsity start followed by the Varsity game at 7.