Boys Basketball: Loyola shows improvement as postseason approaches

• Reprints

12/10/2011 Wilmette Loyola senior Jack Richmond (31) puts up a shot down low during the home game against Evanston on Saturday, December 10, 2011. | michael jarecki ~ for Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 24, 2012 8:35AM

Though the Loyola boys basketball team lost to St. Ignatius 45-39 on Friday, Ramblers head coach Tom Livatino saw signs of progress from his young squad.

The Ramblers (9-16, 4-6 Catholic League North) fell to the talented Wolfpack by 25 points earlier in the 2011-12 campaign, but the rematch stayed close throughout. St. Ignatius held a nine-point lead at one point, but Loyola rallied and had a chance to get within two points with two minutes remaining.

Livatino said he was pleased with his team’s effort in the game, which was played at Loyola University’s refurbished Gentile Arena.

“We got back to playing a more physical game — we were tougher and defended, and played hard for four quarters,” said the coach, who pointed out that St. Ignatius is a team full of seniors with a chance to win the Catholic League. “I was very proud of our guys after the game. The effort level was as high as it’s been all year,”

Defensively, the performance clearly was an improvement for a Rambler team that recently allowed 78 points in losses to Waukegan and Fenwick.

“Giving up 78 points in those games was just unacceptable,” Livatino said. “But to our guys’ credit, they solved some things. We went back to the drawing board and taught defense from the ground up, making sure the guys understood what we were trying to do.”

Livatino said Loyola’s forwards, 6-foot-3 senior Jack Richmond and 6-6 junior Matt Sullivan, turned in solid defensive performances against a big Wolfpack front line that featured 6-8 Peter Ryckbosch.The coach also believes junior guard Peter Pujals has improved defensively.

“Peter has made huge strides, and he has the potential to be a great defender,” Livatino said. “We saw some of that Friday night, with how hard he worked and his dedication to defending. He has a way to go, but he can be a tremendous defender.”

Despite scoring just 39 points, Livatino said he had not been disappointed in the Ramblers’ offense.

Normally a good shooting team, the Ramblers struggled from behind the arc. Loyola executed well in its halfcourt sets, successfully executing more backdoor cuts than it had in any game this season.

Sophomore guard Jack Morrissey led Loyola with 13 points. Sophomore point guard James Clarke scored 12 points, and Pujals added 10. Those three shot a combined 5-for-14 from behind the arc.

Livatino said his team has taken longer than expected to get comfortable in an offense that was put in last summer.

“If you had told me that when we installed the offense, that it would take this long to be really efficient and clicking on all cylinders, I would have thought it would have been enough time,” the coach said. “In reality, we’re not quite there yet. But we’re getting better and progress is important.”

The Ramblers were scheduled to finish the regular season against Brother Rice at home on Tuesday. The Catholic League crossover provided Loyola with an opportunity to honor the two seniors in the program, Richmond and team manager John Padua.

They open IHSA Class 4A Niles North Regional action against No. 7 Niles North on Feb. 29. The winner advances to the regional championship game, where No. 2 Glenbrook North could be waiting, on March 2.

Loyola has not faced Niles North this season, but did lose to Glenbrook North by over 20 points in early January.

Although Loyola has one of the area’s younger teams, and faced its share of struggles during the regular season, Livatino said he is excited about the postseason. The Ramblers endured one of the toughest schedules around.

“As we go into (the playoffs), we’re not in awe of anyone at all,” the coach said. “We’ve played a tough schedule and we’ll see how that prepared us. We’ll go out, play hard, play confident, play together and play smart. Niles North will be a great test.”