To fully appreciate what the Central Catholic boys basketball team has done so far this season, it is necessary to consider who the 8-1 Fighting Irish have been without.
Central Catholic graduated two-year starting point guard Micah Thames and alternating 6-foot-6 twin post players Sam and Josh Lee.
Then, in June, while playing in an offseason shootout at the University of Dayton, the Irish lost their 2022 Division II first team All-Ohio guard Chico Johnson, a starter since his freshman season. Johnson tore the ACL in his left knee and underwent surgery July 7. Although he has long since rejoined the team for limited practice work, Johnson has not yet been medically cleared to return to game action.
For many programs, these setbacks might have spelled major trouble.
But fifth-year Irish coach Mike Floyd has seen an impressive example of the “next man up” philosophy.
“We've had different guys step up,” Floyd said. “It hasn't been just one guy. It's been pretty much everybody. If you look at our scoring, we lost Chico's 15 points a game, and it's been evenly distributed among a lot of our guys.”
After a delayed start to the basketball season because of Central Catholic's football playoff run, the Irish lost their opening game in humbling fashion — a 68-36 decision at Division I power Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, which won last season's D-II state championship.
But the four football-playing members of the basketball squad — including senior starter Ty'Waun Clark, the superb quarterback — have transitioned to the hardcourt and blended with the team's other returnees.
Central Catholic (4-0 Three Rivers Athletic Conference) has found an effective chemistry and reeled off eight straight wins ahead of Tuesday’s key matchup at Whitmer (6-4, 4-1).
Floyd's team has used a balanced scoring attack along with solid defense (52.5 points allowed per game).
Senior guard Michael Greenlee has led the way at 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, sophomore Makhi Leach is at 12.3 points, junior Isaiah Brenneman averages 10.6 points, Clark is at 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds, and senior K.J. Johnson adds 5.6 points.
“We all just came together,” Greenlee said. “We sat down in a room and talked about things, and we just had to step up. Me and Isaiah and Makhi Leach, we all just came together to lead this team. I'm not surprised, because we have players besides Chico.”
Brenneman credits the team’s collective dedication.
“I think it speaks to the toughness of our team,” he said. “We come out and compete every single day. We know we've got the guys, and it's our job to keep it going. Just because somebody goes out we can't slack.
“We're a tough team that really cares and really works hard. That work we put in during the offseason is going to show up in the regular season. We know if we work hard and play hard and play together, we're going to go out and get wins.”
Clark missed his sophomore basketball season because of his own knee injury, but returned in 2020-21 to first quarterback the football team, and then contribute as a key basketball sub.
Now a starter, he's trying to carry over some of his autumn magic to winter.
“From my standpoint, after winning a state championship in football, I just tried to bring that to basketball with these guys,” said Clark. “I'm trying to let the guys hear my voice and see how I got it done in football and try to bring it to basketball.”
Floyd has been able to go deep off the bench and has gotten contributions from seniors Noah Langford and Brian Bishop, juniors Tyler Bialorucki, Marc Nave and Christian Jackson, and sophomore Tim Boals.
In TRAC play so far, Central has topped St. John's Jesuit, 56-41, Findlay, 57-33, Fremont Ross, 71-59, and four-time defending conference champion Lima Senior, 67-61, last Friday.
Equally impressive was Central Catholic’s championship at a holiday invitational in Phoenix, achieved with three wins (Dec. 27 to 30) there, including a 65-63 victory in the title game over Cleveland Heights.
As for Chico Johnson, who has signed to play at Drake University, he has been productive with his time, aggressively rehabbing his knee in workouts and practice drills. He has also served as an extra set of eyes on the bench with Floyd and his staff, as well as the team's most vocal supporter during games.
“I knew they were going to adapt over the summer, and I knew this season was going to be easy for them,” Johnson said. “Even without Micah, the Lee brothers, and me, I knew they were going to be set under coach Floyd.
“I like their competitiveness and their drive. They don't have me out there with them, but I can be helping them on the bench, as well – seeing what I see and what they're seeing, and talking to them.”
Presumably, if and when Chico Johnson is cleared to return to game action, there will be a time of adjustment for him in rejoining a team that has developed a chemistry without him. That might take time, but the addition would seem to only improve the mix.
“They're saying that I could be cleared in about three weeks,” he said. “Not everything is set in stone, and I don't have any pressure on me seeing the way these guys are playing. In about three weeks we'll see how we're doing, and we'll go from there.”
While he awaits the return of his All-Ohioan, Floyd has been impressed with the performance of his team.
“We all thought, as a staff, that we have talented guys,” he said. “It was just trying to get them to play together and do the things we've been talking about — being selfless and trusting in each other and having some toughness. We're really pleased with how the guys have bought in and embraced their roles.
“It's a process. They've got to learn to trust each other first. We went through some stretches in the summer where we weren't trusting each other and there was a lot of one-on-one play.”
That one-on-one eventually turned into a one-for-all and all-for-one operation.
“It's been a lot of film study, playing together, learning what your teammate does well, and learning to turn down a good shot and get someone an easier shot,” Floyd said. “They've done a really good job of buying into all of that.”
First Published January 9, 2023, 6:03 p.m.
