St. Ed’s winter sports teams will be well rested when they snap back into action next week to prepare for postseason tournaments that will arrive very quickly. A practice or two should help to knock off some of the rust that may have formed during holiday absences lasting for several weeks in most cases.
However, one team was not completely idle from competition during the break. The varsity boys basketball team left town on the morning of Dec. 22 for a trip to American Airlines Arena off Biscayne Bay to play an afternoon game on the home court of the Miami Heat. The trip was long anticipated and well worth the bus ride.
The Pirates hung a 48-34 defeat on previously unbeaten Community Christian Academy. Nick Succes and Cole Lipkin were a formidable one-two punch with a pair of double-doubles. Succes had 15 points and 10 boards while Lipkin contributed 12 and 10. The Pirates dominated the middle of the game by outscoring the Cougars 26-10 in the second and third periods. Succes went six-for-six from the charity stripe in the final eight minutes to thwart any Cougar hope of a comeback.
In what has become a lopsided rivalry, St. Ed’s defeated CCA 69-41 on the same floor last December and now owns a 10-1 advantage since 2000. That doesn’t include a preseason victory back in November.
After the thrill of playing on an NBA hardcourt, the players were treated to some professional basketball drama that evening. The Detroit Pistons drained 15 three-pointers to edge the Heat 93-92.
“We had a lot of fun doing it last year and the opportunity presented itself again this year,” Pirates Head Coach Greg Zugrave said. “The seniors really wanted to do it, so instead of playing in a holiday tournament this is what we devoted our resources to. We had to do fundraising to buy all of the tickets that were necessary to have this wonderful experience again.
“Just going to an NBA game is exciting and playing on the same floor is truly an incredible experience. The kids worked very hard to make this day possible. Amidst all the hoopla, the team was able to rally and play well enough to beat a good team. We are very appreciative for all of the support from the community in order to make this day happen.”
The Pirates are now 4-7 and face Boca Raton Christian at home on Jan. 2 to usher in 2016. The district playoff quarterfinals tip off Feb. 2.
The jersey of Darell Flowers will be retired in a ceremony Friday evening, Jan. 22. Cancer took his life on Jan. 31, 2015 at age 20. The St. Ed’s community will pay tribute to a beloved player and assistant coach in recognition and support of the nationwide Coaches vs. Cancer Week Jan. 25-31.