The boys basketball team took down St. Ignatius 40-37 in an intense battle for the Jesuit Cup Title this past Friday, December 8, 2023.
Hundreds of students from each school piled into the Gentile Arena on Loyola University-Chicago’s campus to watch these two talented teams go head to head for the title.
In recent years, Loyola Academy has won 10 out of the last 11 Jesuit Cup games against St. Ignatius. Even with this record, St. Ignatius is always a tough school to beat for the Ramblers.
Last year, the Ramblers also beat St. Ignatius in another close game winning 46-41.
This year, Loyola has dominated the court with just two losses and was coming off a huge 57-13 win against Providence-St. Mel.
St. Ignatius also came off a win against St. Francis de Sale with an incredibly close game of 50-47.
Loyola started the game off struggling. In the first half, St. Ignatius ran the court, holding a steady lead throughout the half.
St. Ignatius kept their lead alive with a 7-0 run to start the second half, extending their lead to 12 points after St. Ignatius senior Reggie Ray made a driving basket in the middle of the third quarter. Reggie added a total of 15 points for St. Ignatius throughout the game.
Other players like senior Philip Erickson with two three pointers and several steals, and junior Phoenix Gill who had ten points, six rebounds, and two steals also contributed to St. Ignatius’ lead.
The Ramblers defense picked up in the second half, allowing Loyola senior Andrew Hollerich to dominate the game with 17 total points.
Hollerich more recently had a concussion that ultimately ended his football season with the Ramblers, but Hollerich has bounced back during his senior basketball season contributing to many of the Rambler’s wins so far.
Hollerich’s three pointer from the left wing in the end of the third quarter allowed Loyola to take their first lead of the game (32-31).
“This is the game we always look forward to and we prepare the most to play this game,” Hollerich said.
Other star players like senior Miles Boland, who contributed 10 points and five rebounds throughout the game, also led to the Rambler’s success.
“In the second half we started trapping a little bit more, we sped the tempo a little bit,” head coach Tom Livatino said.
Loyola took over the game towards the end of the third quarter and could not be stopped, ultimately winning 40-37 in an intense second half.
St. Ignatius also put up a few points in the last quarter, but fell short to the Ramblers.
“We went away from some of the things that had gotten us the lead in the first place… They (Ramblers) just run their stuff really well,” St. Ignatius head coach Matt Monroe said.
The Ramblers face off next against Depaul College Prep on Friday, December 15 with a successful win streak and yet another Jesuit Cup Title under their belt.
