By Eddie Dwyer

 

Ohio City - Rich Austin '10, who this old-timer had the privilege and pleasure to cover and report on during his memorable playing career with the Saint Ignatius Wildcats' Varsity Basketball Program, is doing an outstanding job in his first season as the Head Coach of the John Marshall Lawyers.

 

 On Thursday at 7 PM, Rich will guide his 12-4 Lawyers of Cleveland's Senate Athletic League on the same Father Sullivan Gymnasium court where he made his mark as an athletic, savvy and skilled forward/post for then Head Coach Sean O'Toole '87. Sean is currently the Athletic Director at Gilmour Academy.

 

 Thursday's Varsity game will be preceded by a Junior Varsity matchup at 5:30. The JV 'Cats, who are on a five-game winning streak, will be looking to improve to 13-1. 

 

 Following his senior season with the Wildcats, Rich was selected as a Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association All-Star, was named to the Sun News All-Star Team and was awarded with Saint Ignatius' prestigious Coaches Cup.

 

 Rich's 10 points and 7 rebounds per game helped lead the Wildcats to a Division I District Championship in March 2010 and a down-to-the-wire St. Patrick's Day Regional Semifinal matchup with longtime rival St. Edward, won by the Eagles, 53-49.

 

 After an outstanding three-year career at Lake Erie College, Rich transferred to Gannon University where, following a red-shirt season, he averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds as the sixth man on Gannon's 2014-15 team that won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Rich shot 60.3 percent (85 of 141) from the field and 81 percent from the foul line during that PSAC championship season. His field goal percentage that winter is the seventh-highest single-season mark in Gannon's basketball history.

 

 From his playing days at Lake Erie College and Gannon, Rich continued his academic and athletic career at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

 

 Rich's Lawyers are 9-2 in Senate play after a 56-50 double-overtime loss to East Tech on Tuesday night at John Marshall. The victory by the Scarabs gave them the top seed for next week's Senate Athletic League Tournament. East Tech has won the last four SAL Basketball Championships.

 

 City Championship time, my friends, as it was called, and rightfully so, during the legendary reign of East Tech. Still the greatest high school teams I have ever seen in Greater Cleveland - those '50s, '60s and early '70s Scarabs were way ahead of their time (see below). 

 

 East Tech's State Final Four appearances - 2014, 1972 (1st), 1971, 1967 (2nd), 1963, 1962 (2nd), 1961, 1960 (2nd), 1959 (1st), 1958 (1st), 1956.

 

 FROM FORMER WILDCATS STANDOUT AND CURRENT OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN BASKETBALL GOLD COACH TOM PARKER '10 ON HIS FRIEND AND FORMER TEAMMATE: "Rich is a great friend, I'm excited for him to be coming back (to Fr. Sullivan Gymnasium). He is doing a great job in his first year as a head coach. I am really proud of him.

 

 "This year, they (the Lawyers) have already won 12 games, so they have super exceeded expectations. Coming here, I know this is big for him. I know the type of competitor he is, he is coming to win. Win or lose, I know he is going to make the most of this opportunity. I will probably be late to the game (Tommy has to coach on Thursday night), but he's a great guy and I wish him the best of luck."

 

 A CURRENT REVIEW OF THE JOHN MARSHALL LAWYERS: Making his case for the Lawyers is guard Quentin Williams. Considered to be Coach Austin's top player, Williams is averaging 20 points per game. He had 30 3-pointers through John Marshall's first 15 games.

 

 Saint Ignatius' savvy and seasoned Assistant Coach and Chief Scout Jerry Porath says Williams, who is a southpaw, can drive to his left or his right and is a good leaper and rebounder.

 

 Complementing Williams are guards Raymiere Oates and Terrell Respress. Oates had 31 3-balls through 15 games and is averaging 13 points a game, and Respress is around 10 points per outing. Oates and Williams scored 16 and 13 points, respectively, in Tuesday night's loss to East Tech. 

 

 Another Lawyer to watch is 6-5 post Keyshaun Hall. A solid rebounder who works for position on the glass, Keyshaun has range from 15 feet. He scored eight points and pulled down 11 rebounds in Tuesday night's tough loss.

 

 Coach Porath says John Marshall can be screened and that the area's eighth-ranked Wildcats (9-4) should be able to run on the Lawyers and score at the rim.

 

 HIGH FIVES: John Marshall started this season with a 5-0 record before losing to second-ranked St. Edward, 68-49, at John Marshall. Undaunted, the Lawyers went on another five-game winning streak before being defeated by the 18th-ranked Lakewood Rangers, 49-47, also at John Marshall.

 

  BENGALS ROAR: After Thursday night's meeting with the Lawyers of John Marshall, Wildcats Hall of Fame Head Coach Brian Becker '77 will have one last preparation for Saturday night's trip to Benedictine. A 5:30 JV game will precede the highly anticipated 7 PM Varsity matchup. 

 

  The area's 13th-ranked Bengals, who are 11-4, put together a solid all-around performance in Sunday's 58-47 victory over Revere in the annual Dunk4Diabetes Shootout at John Carroll University.

 

 Coach Rob Stircula's Bengals, who lost an 81-80 double-overtime game to Saint Ignatius last season in Father Sullivan Gymnasium, have a demanding Friday night matchup with state-ranked Lake Catholic on the Cougars' home floor.

 

 The Bengals had some solid performances on Sunday, including 14 points from 6-foot-6 sophomore wing Andy Barba. Barba, who has been working on developing more of a complete game, complemented his perimeter shooting on Sunday with some authoritative drives to the rim.

 

  Benedictine gave Barba, Sunday's game MVP, plenty of support, as senior Chris Jefferson tossed in a team-high 15 points and sophomore Jashun Cobb contributed 14 points in a reserve role.

 

 The Bengals again played without injured guard Davin Zeigler, their leading scorer.

 

 Always known for their defense under Coach Stircula, Benedictine limited  Revere to seven points over the final eight minutes.

 

 Helping key that defensive effort was Jerwon Thomas, who played a major role in limiting one of the premier players in Ohio, Revere's 6-10 forward and Northwestern recruit Pete Nance, to a hard-earned 16 points.

 

 "As expected, they have good athleticism and speed," said Coach Porath of the Bengals. "Not a whole lot different from the teams we have been playing. We might need to mix defenses again."

 

 FROM COACH BECKER: "I think Coach Austin has done a fabulous job with his kids. He's the type of guy who demands respect, knows basketball and has played big basketball. When you play in college and then play overseas for awhile you learn the nuances of the game. Rich really relates to his kids and has them playing really, really hard.

 

 "When we play them on Thursday, they'll be hungry. At this time of the year teams are looking to chalk up marquee wins, wins that they can build on, wins that can propel them into the playoffs. That is something John Marshall is looking for.

 

 "We have to go out and dictate tempo. They (the Lawyers) have really good guards and a really good sense of how to play the game. We have to come out and dictate all phases of the game.

 

 "That's a wonderful place to play basketball," Coach Becker said in turning his attention to the Benedictine Bengals and their history-rich Trueman Memorial Field House and Gymnasium. "There is so much history in that gymnasium dating back to when Frankie Novak was coaching and some of the teams and the players that they've had. 

 

 "They play really good defense. It will be an up and down game. They love to pressure you, their guards are strong and quick and their inside guys are quick and mobile. If you allow them to get in a rhythm they can go and put up points in a hurry.

 

 "We will have our hands full and will be held accountable for what we do offensively and defensively. That's what you want at this point of the season. That just makes you better for the tournament."

 

 A TIP OF THIS CORNER'S CAP GOES OUT TO FRESHMAN TOMMY SWEET: Tommy, who has caught this seasoned reporter's attention with his endless dedication to Saint Ignatius Athletics, was busy displaying his versatility again last week and weekend.

 

 After Tommy jumped on the bus and took video of the Freshmen Blue game at St. Vincent-St. Mary, he was giving his time and effort again over the weekend in roles that included him filling in as a Team Manager for the big Saturday night Varsity Basketball game versus Cleveland Central Catholic.

 

 In listening to Tommy's sports talk with Head Freshmen Blue Coach Regan Sweeney '11 on the way home from The LeBron James Arena, I was very impressed with Tommy's astute impressions of the Cavaliers and Big Ten Basketball. Humble, but extremely knowledgeable. 

 

 Yes, a young man who is well on his way to being someone Saint Ignatius will be very proud to call a graduate of the Class of 2021.