Centerville vs St Ignatius State Final
- Thread starter ELKSONE
- Start date
arizonawildcat
Well-known member
Prediction on the Elk-Cats fan turnout? Maybe 4:1?
ELKSONE
#EPND
That's a late game to have a strong fan base show up, especially from Cleveland.
arizonawildcat
Well-known member
Come on! It's a home game for the Elk.
Will St I have a student section? I know the Centerville student section v Moe in regional finals was pathetic. Maybe 25 kids.
ripvanwinkle
Active member
There will be more players on the court than people in the crowd cheering for Ignatious.
Knightnight
Well-known member
Problem for the Elks is that most of their student body is on spring break.
Wildcat97
Well-known member
It's Ignatius
That sucks
Elks48
Well-known member
Yes we know you love Centerville.
ripvanwinkle
Active member
We don’t care. And clearly by the crowd nobody else does either
Ticket sales appear to be down and plenty of lower arena seats are still available. Dayton area basketball fans should head out to UD arena later tonight for this D1 championship game. If this game is like the one earlier this season between the teams that went to double overtime, it will be a good one. Parking is free and basketball atmosphere is great. Go Elks!
Wildcats1886
Well-known member
Guarantee far, far more people care about the institution than whatever school you support. Lots of more important ways for alumni, parents, and friends of the school to be engaged than driving / flying to Dayton for a basketball game. No other school in the state besides St. X is in the same zip code in terms of the scale and generosity of the donor base.
ripvanwinkle
Active member
Because money is what high school sports is all about. Thank you for enlightening me.
Nope. The donations are for academics, faith formation and forming young men to be men for others. You'll have to look deeper and learn about what is going on there. That is what Ignatius is about, not athletics
ripvanwinkle
Active member
“Faith formation” is that the name of their NIL fund?
Wildcat97
Well-known member
The donations aren't about sports. Clearly you know nothing about the school, other than jealousy or bias because it isn't a public school. Ask some people in the neighborhood what they think about the school and students, and memo, those residents don't have any personal tie to the school. Go do that and then flap your jaws about what you think you know, which clearly, is nada about the school and area
eaglepride
Well-known member
Man you sound so angry! Let it go, champ…
OldSoulon
Well-known member
He just woke up, he’s still groggy.
clevelandcane
Active member
Go Cats!
From cleveland.com:
DAYTON, Ohio — The adrenaline rush of Saturday night’s 54-53 win against Delaware Hayes took St. Ignatius coach Cam Joyce and his boys basketball players back to their hotel. He felt compelled to get them rest, while three of his assistants stayed to watch Centerville play Toledo Whitmer. They saw enough by the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, as Centerville pulled away to set up a rematch between the Wildcats (25-3) and Elks (20-8) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the University of Dayton Arena.
St. Ignatius beat Centerville once this year on a trip to this part of the state, starting a two-day weekend with a 94-92 win in double overtime on the Elks’ floor. They followed with a loss the next day, Jan. 14, to Florida’s Oak Ridge. The Wildcats have not lost since then. They take a 14-game winning streak into Sunday night’s title game, their first state final appearance since winning it in 2001. “We’ve been prepared for this back-to-back,” Joyce said. “We’ve been scheduling all tough back-to-backs for this moment. I tell these guys all of the time: in order to win it all in Division I, you’ve got to be able to beat two really good teams back-to-back.” His Wildcats felt those gauntlets five time this season:
They did it in December, following a showcase game against Richmond Heights with a trip to Central Ohio to play Reynoldsburg. Coincidentally, like the first Centerville game, that one went to two overtimes with a big four-point play by senior guard Matt Ellis being the difference.
For the holiday break later that month, the Wildcats played three games in four days in Florida.
They had the trip to Dayton for Centerville and Oak Ridge.
They returned home and beat defending Division III state champion Lutheran East, which is in Sunday’s finals, before a trip to defending Division II champ Buchtel the next day in late January.
They won at rival St. Edward before playing Avon to open February.
“We’ve been building for this moment in order to be prepared,” Joyce said. “It’s nothing we haven’t seen.”
Especially Centerville. The Elks are no strangers to the Wildcats, even on this stage. They met two years ago in St. Ignatius’ last state final four appearance. Coach Brook Cupps’ program handed the Wildcats a 64-33 blowout loss, a second straight exit for Joyce and his program in that round.
None of his starters played in that game. Juniors Quinn Woidke and Damon Friery, who led St. Ignatius in scoring much of this season and on Saturday night, were on the scout team to prepare for that 2022 state semifinal. So was now-senior point guard Jack Zapolnik and Mike Lamirand, who moved into the starting lineup for the district finals after a foot injury to 6-foot-7 senior forward Sam Springer.
“Losing Sam was huge for us. He’s our captain, our leader,” Woidke said. “I give it all to Mike Lamirand. He was coming off the bench, sixth man. When he came in, he filled that role perfectly to this moment. I think all of the postseason is dedicated to Sam.” Springer had surgery on his foot the day of last week’s 46-43 regional final comeback vs. Brunswick. Joyce said then the trip to Dayton came with a reward of bringing along Springer, who had his foot in a cast and on a roller to maneuver around and greet his classmates in the student section.
Without Springer, the Wildcats are still big with 6-10 Friery and 6-8 Reece Robinson up front. “They’re so dynamic scoring-wise,” Cupps said. “They have so many guys that can hurt you. Their style of play is open and free, and those guys play like that. Coach Joyce does an incredible job. Their size is an issue.”
Friery hit six of his first eight shots and finished 7-of-12 for 16 points against Delaware Hayes. Robinson pulled down 13 rebounds and played down the stretch with four fouls, as they matched up with the Pacers’ 6-7 Landon Vanderwarker and senior Jesse Burris. Vanderwarker, a junior, didn’t leave the floor and put up 21 points with eight rebounds. Burris scored 17 points in his final game as a fourth-year starter.
Centerville poses similar matchups, size-wise, with 6-6 guard Jonathan Powell and 6-6 forward Baboucarr Njie. However, while the Pacers ran their offense through the 6-4 Burris in halfcourt sets, the Elks can push it in a more dynamic fashion with 6-3 junior point guard Eli Greenberg. He played with 2022 Mr. Basketball winner Gabe Cupps, the coach’s son who is now at Indiana. Greenberg has blossomed in that lead guard role with Powell, an Xavier recruit who joined Centerville last year after transferring from Dayton Chaminade Julienne. He made a difference when Centerville traveled to Cleveland in early January and edged St. Edward at the Scholastic Play By Play Classic — part of a stretch that challenged Brook Cupps’ team, including that double overtime loss to the Wildcats, who tied it on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in regulation by Woidke. That came right after Centerville beat Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller the first time, but any thoughts of a return to Dayton looked even less likely with a three-game losing streak to conclude the regular season. “Our guys know the work we’ve put in, the challenges we’ve faced and the adversity we’ve gone through this year,” Cupps said. “I’m a believer that stuff makes you better.”
A double overtime win of its own soon followed, when Centerville beat Moeller again last week in the regional finals.
“We really made a turn when we stopped trying to be those teams from the past,” Cupps said.
Powell put up 34 points in the first matchup Jan. 13 vs. the Wildcats. Greenberg had 28 and Njie added 11, while Woidke led St. Ignatius with 27 points.
Against Whitmer, which reached the state semifinals in debated fashion vs. Garfield Heights, the Elks pulled away in the second half. They shot 20-of-37 from the floor, made 13-of-16 free throws on a floor they have now played on for four straight years. Greenberg led them with 19 points and five assists, while Jamar Montgomery added 14 points. Powell finished with 10, and Centerville could then concentrate on the rematch ahead with St. Ignatius. “They’re really, really good,” Cupps said. “We’ve got to be really, really good. When you play for a state championship, you should have to be really, really good.”
DAYTON, Ohio — The adrenaline rush of Saturday night’s 54-53 win against Delaware Hayes took St. Ignatius coach Cam Joyce and his boys basketball players back to their hotel. He felt compelled to get them rest, while three of his assistants stayed to watch Centerville play Toledo Whitmer. They saw enough by the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, as Centerville pulled away to set up a rematch between the Wildcats (25-3) and Elks (20-8) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the University of Dayton Arena.
St. Ignatius beat Centerville once this year on a trip to this part of the state, starting a two-day weekend with a 94-92 win in double overtime on the Elks’ floor. They followed with a loss the next day, Jan. 14, to Florida’s Oak Ridge. The Wildcats have not lost since then. They take a 14-game winning streak into Sunday night’s title game, their first state final appearance since winning it in 2001. “We’ve been prepared for this back-to-back,” Joyce said. “We’ve been scheduling all tough back-to-backs for this moment. I tell these guys all of the time: in order to win it all in Division I, you’ve got to be able to beat two really good teams back-to-back.” His Wildcats felt those gauntlets five time this season:
They did it in December, following a showcase game against Richmond Heights with a trip to Central Ohio to play Reynoldsburg. Coincidentally, like the first Centerville game, that one went to two overtimes with a big four-point play by senior guard Matt Ellis being the difference.
For the holiday break later that month, the Wildcats played three games in four days in Florida.
They had the trip to Dayton for Centerville and Oak Ridge.
They returned home and beat defending Division III state champion Lutheran East, which is in Sunday’s finals, before a trip to defending Division II champ Buchtel the next day in late January.
They won at rival St. Edward before playing Avon to open February.
“We’ve been building for this moment in order to be prepared,” Joyce said. “It’s nothing we haven’t seen.”
Especially Centerville. The Elks are no strangers to the Wildcats, even on this stage. They met two years ago in St. Ignatius’ last state final four appearance. Coach Brook Cupps’ program handed the Wildcats a 64-33 blowout loss, a second straight exit for Joyce and his program in that round.
None of his starters played in that game. Juniors Quinn Woidke and Damon Friery, who led St. Ignatius in scoring much of this season and on Saturday night, were on the scout team to prepare for that 2022 state semifinal. So was now-senior point guard Jack Zapolnik and Mike Lamirand, who moved into the starting lineup for the district finals after a foot injury to 6-foot-7 senior forward Sam Springer.
“Losing Sam was huge for us. He’s our captain, our leader,” Woidke said. “I give it all to Mike Lamirand. He was coming off the bench, sixth man. When he came in, he filled that role perfectly to this moment. I think all of the postseason is dedicated to Sam.” Springer had surgery on his foot the day of last week’s 46-43 regional final comeback vs. Brunswick. Joyce said then the trip to Dayton came with a reward of bringing along Springer, who had his foot in a cast and on a roller to maneuver around and greet his classmates in the student section.
Without Springer, the Wildcats are still big with 6-10 Friery and 6-8 Reece Robinson up front. “They’re so dynamic scoring-wise,” Cupps said. “They have so many guys that can hurt you. Their style of play is open and free, and those guys play like that. Coach Joyce does an incredible job. Their size is an issue.”
Friery hit six of his first eight shots and finished 7-of-12 for 16 points against Delaware Hayes. Robinson pulled down 13 rebounds and played down the stretch with four fouls, as they matched up with the Pacers’ 6-7 Landon Vanderwarker and senior Jesse Burris. Vanderwarker, a junior, didn’t leave the floor and put up 21 points with eight rebounds. Burris scored 17 points in his final game as a fourth-year starter.
Centerville poses similar matchups, size-wise, with 6-6 guard Jonathan Powell and 6-6 forward Baboucarr Njie. However, while the Pacers ran their offense through the 6-4 Burris in halfcourt sets, the Elks can push it in a more dynamic fashion with 6-3 junior point guard Eli Greenberg. He played with 2022 Mr. Basketball winner Gabe Cupps, the coach’s son who is now at Indiana. Greenberg has blossomed in that lead guard role with Powell, an Xavier recruit who joined Centerville last year after transferring from Dayton Chaminade Julienne. He made a difference when Centerville traveled to Cleveland in early January and edged St. Edward at the Scholastic Play By Play Classic — part of a stretch that challenged Brook Cupps’ team, including that double overtime loss to the Wildcats, who tied it on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in regulation by Woidke. That came right after Centerville beat Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller the first time, but any thoughts of a return to Dayton looked even less likely with a three-game losing streak to conclude the regular season. “Our guys know the work we’ve put in, the challenges we’ve faced and the adversity we’ve gone through this year,” Cupps said. “I’m a believer that stuff makes you better.”
A double overtime win of its own soon followed, when Centerville beat Moeller again last week in the regional finals.
“We really made a turn when we stopped trying to be those teams from the past,” Cupps said.
Powell put up 34 points in the first matchup Jan. 13 vs. the Wildcats. Greenberg had 28 and Njie added 11, while Woidke led St. Ignatius with 27 points.
Against Whitmer, which reached the state semifinals in debated fashion vs. Garfield Heights, the Elks pulled away in the second half. They shot 20-of-37 from the floor, made 13-of-16 free throws on a floor they have now played on for four straight years. Greenberg led them with 19 points and five assists, while Jamar Montgomery added 14 points. Powell finished with 10, and Centerville could then concentrate on the rematch ahead with St. Ignatius. “They’re really, really good,” Cupps said. “We’ve got to be really, really good. When you play for a state championship, you should have to be really, really good.”
DytnBballFan
Active member
I said when they played the first time, it was the one of, if not the, best high school games I've ever seen. Hoping for a similar game tonight. Both teams are very good.
DytnBballFan
Active member
I'm not sure the going home helps. Lot less distractions in a hotel. But I get sleeping your own bed. Probably evens out. Long day either way waiting for 8:30 tip off.
I'm really think it can go either way tonight. Hoping the refs let them play so that doesn't factor in. Otherwise, I do thinks it interesting where the two teams are today versus back then. First game, st. Iggy was rolling while Centerville was struggling. Now, st Iggy has an injury, and has struggled to get to this point. Centerville seems to be clicking on all cylinders, rolling through every opponent in tournament, except no 1 ranked Moeller. Not saying it will matter tonight, but interesting