Basketball News | Brother Rice High School

Mike Kennedy `08 Becomes St. Ambrose Basketball Leading Scorer

April 5, 2012 By Joe McCarthy '13 Leave a Comment

Photo Courtesy of St. Ambrose University

Mike Kennedy, a 2008 graduate of Brother Rice originally from Evergreen Park, recently received the honor of becoming an All-American for the second time in his collegiate basketball career. Now a senior at St. Ambrose University, Mike has been a large factor in the success of the Bees. A four-year starter for the program, Mike has set many all time and season leading records in the university’s basketball history, along with leading the team to the NAIA national tournament. Mike has become third all time in career scoring and rebounding for the Bees and is ranked in the top forty points per season chart at St. Ambrose. The hard work that Mike put in his senior year at Brother Rice has paid off with great achievements he was able to attain with his time playing basketball for St. Ambrose. Since then, his work ethic and basketball skills that he learned during his time here at Brother Rice have carried on further into his playing career.

Mike Kennedy started his career at Brother Rice in the fall of 2004. Mike played basketball all four years at Brother Rice but was not considered a stand out player until his senior year in 2008. Coach Pat Richardson commented, saying that he was a good player his freshman through junior year but was not really a stand out. It was not until after his junior season where Mike made the turn around. After meeting with Mike for his junior year meeting, Coach told him that he would have to step up his senior year to become a contributing factor for the 2007-2008 squad. Mike worked hard his senior year, never missing a practice, summer work out, or conditioning season. “Mike was an easy going kind of guy; nothing really bothered him,” Coach said about Mike’s work ethic that season. “He would take responsibility for his actions and worked hard in practice.” Through the hard work and coaching of Coach Richardson, Mike’s senior year was a memorable season for him.

In his senior year, Mike stepped up for the team like Coach Richardson wanted him to do for his final season at Brother Rice. Mike set many single season and all time career records for the Crusaders. Mike lead that year with points (523), free throws (89), and rebounds (328) for the Crusaders; he also set records for number six all time for points in one season and free throws in a single season and number one all time with most rebounds in a single season. Mike was able to grab over 100 offensive rebounds and over 200 defensive rebounds that season, which helped him to achieve 21 double games in his senior season. Mike was also a MVP, All-State players, and All-American player that year from his record setting performances with the Crusaders. Through his efforts, Mike was able to help lead the Crusaders to the regional game that year.

The hard work and record setting trends did not stop when his time at Brother Rice ended. Mike kept that same mentality with him through his four years at St. Ambrose. The hard work also paid off for him there because of the all the records he has set and goals he has achieved over his four years at the University.

Filed Under: Alumni, Alumni Feature, Articles of Interest, Athletic Standard, Athletics, Athletics Features, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, In the News, Spotlights, The Standard

The Standard: Coach Dave “Slick Back” Wills Shaves the Way to Cure Cancer

March 6, 2012 By Kyle Bernaciak '12 1 Comment

There’s a good possibility you’ve seen Coach Wills sitting on the bench during basketball games or even walking through the halls at Rice. You may have noticed the top of his head, which includes an uncanny hairstyle that requires a great amount of gel and personal confidence. Since October, Coach Dave Wills ’04, the assistant varsity basketball coach and assistant director of admissions, has been growing out his hair and “slicking it back” on a regular occasion. No, he is not just trying to rock an awesome flow; he is actually preparing for St. Baldrick’s Day on Tuesday, March 13.

Back in October, an idea popped into Coach Wills’s head; he decided he was going to grow out his hair until March, then raffle off who would shave his head during the festivities. During the days until St. Baldrick’s Day, you will see Coach Wills around Rice selling raffle tickets and donate the proceeds to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The tickets are $1.00 a piece and six tickets for $5.00. Because he is a student favorite around school, tickets are expected to sell quickly and hopefully will make a substantial profit for the foundation. “I thought I would throw a little fun into helping a good and popular cause,” commented Coach Wills.

Over the years, St. Baldrick’s Day has transformed from a day that attracted a few shavees to a celebration where nearly half the student body and many faculty members “go bald” for a tremendous cause. This year is expected extremely successful because the day has been moved back to a school day to attract a greater number of shavees.

In order to support the great foundation that St. Baldrick’s has created, support fellow shavees and take part in Coach Wills’ raffle so we, as a Brother Rice community, can raise as much money as possible in order to “Crusade for a Cure” for childhood cancer.

Filed Under: Activities, Alumni, Articles of Interest, Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, Faculty, Other Alumni News, Spotlights, The Standard

The Standard: Battle of Pulaski Round 2: Brother Rice-Marist Playoff Preview

February 27, 2012 By Brian Barkowski '95 Leave a Comment

By Joe McCarthy

The Brother Rice-Marist rivalry is one of the largest in the history of Brother Rice High School. One can always count on a crazy crowd and a great game. On the football field or on the basketball court, the rivalry brings out the best in the players, coaches, and fans. The outcome of the next meeting will not only determine who controls Pulaski Road, but also who moves on in the play-offs. This time, the rivalry means much more for each school. Brother Rice and Marist will play in the first round of the IHSA play-offs.

With play-offs still days away, the Crusaders need to close out the rest of the regular season. Many of the players are happy there is a rematch against Marist, but they are still focused on finishing out the season on a high note. Junior Cal Kennedy said, “We take each game one game at a time.” Cal’s words have been the focal point of the Crusaders basketball team. With senior night on Friday, the team wants to be able to send the seniors out on a high note with their last home game of the year.

Players and coaches are planning for the big game Tuesday night against Marist. With the thought of the regular season loss to the Redhawks still fresh in the player’s heads, the team is looking for redemption in the first round play-off game. “We look to come out and play hard and hopefully it will result in a win,” said Eric Dansart, a junior on the team. With a hard fought game like that last matchup, it is understandable why the Crusaders would feel down. “We cannot let that loss bring us down,” Eric added. “We have to pull ourselves together and play on for a win. Usually, we would have to wait until next year for another shot against Marist. This time, we can have a chance to beat them on their home court and kick them out of the play-offs.” With the game not only being a rivalry game but also a first round play-off game, there is no doubt the Crusaders will be ready to play hard to compete for a state championship.

Not only is the game a rematch for both teams, but also for the fan sections. The Crusader Crazies have been recognized as the best fan section in Illinois. With a very large number of students in attendance at every home and away game, there is no doubt the Crazies bring a “6^th man” advantage to the Crusaders. At the last Rice-Marist game, the chanting brought a thunderous roar to the gym and echoed farther than the walls of the school. The SouthTown Star not only wrote about the game, but also the effect the Crazies had on the game.

With the new play-off game also come new cheers from the Crazies. Senior Brian McQuillan is one of the leaders of the Crusader Crazies and helps come up with the new ideas for cheers and props that pump up the crowd and intimidate the opposing team. When asked if there were any new ideas for the play-off game, Brian said, “Of course there are, but I cannot tell you because it will be a surprise on game day. What I have planned for this game will go above and beyond expectations.” With the added help of other seniors and large group of Crazies behind him, McQuillan will definitely be ready with many new cheers. “This game is what every student looks forward to because of how crazy the Crazies get,” Brian added. “The fact that we have a rematch and it is the play-offs only means that we will cheer louder than ever before.” It will be exciting to see what the Crazies have in store for us come Tuesday.

With Tuesday getting closer and closer, the Crusader basketball team is preparing like any other play-off game. They plan to close the regular season out on a high note and carry that to the Marist game on Tuesday. With a state championship looming in the air for the Crusaders, a win over Marist will only push them toward the ultimate goal of a championship.

Filed Under: Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, Students, The Standard

Tonight’s Playoff Basketball Game vs Marist to be Broadcast Live Online

February 17, 2012 By Brian Barkowski '95 Leave a Comment

We are pleased to announce that Tonight’s varsity playoff basketball game at 8:00 pm featuring Brother Rice and Marist is being broadcast LIVE on High School Cube. If you are unable to attend in person, go to HighSchoolCube.com and watch what promises to be a great game. This broadcast will be streamed live on the Internet, iPhones, iPads and Droid Devices with a replay and highlight clips available after the game.

Filed Under: Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, In the News, Students

The Standard: Spartans, Celtics Can’t Stop O’Neill

February 12, 2012 By Brian Barkowski '95 Leave a Comment

By: Kyle Bernaciak

On Tuesday, January 31, the Crusaders hosted the Spartans from Marian Catholic in a non-conference matchup at 99^th and Pulaski Road. After falling in their last three games, Brother Rice needed a big win to get their momentum back on track. By no means would Marian Catholic be an easy opponent because they possessed one of the best guards in the state, Tyler Ulis. If the Crusaders could stop Ulis and force the Spartans to use their sub-par post game, then Rice’s losing streak would be snapped.

On Rice’s first possession, senior forward Garrett O’Neill drained a long-range three to finally get on track from his three consecutive games of poor shooting. He would be stellar the rest of the game from beyond the arc, but the Crusaders proved to be shaky the rest of the first half. A combination of quick possessions, turnovers, and poor defense resulted in a five point lead for the Spartans at half, 28-23. If Rice wished to come out with a victory, then they had to utilize their post game, which proved successful in the first half, led by junior forward Alex Majewski.

To begin the third quarter, the Crusaders came out of the gates on fire. They began to stop Ulis and force him to take mediocre shots. Then, Rice played an extremely aggressive game on the boards, by out-rebounding the Spartans in the second half. As the momentum of the game shifted in favor of Rice, O’Neill channeled that momentum and hit clutch three-pointers when called upon. Finally, O’Neill hit huge free-throws at the end of the game to give the Crusaders a 56-50 victory. This win was essential for the crusaders going into Catholic League South play on Friday and definitely boosted morale.

One of the key elements of Rice’s victory on Tuesday was the great ball-handling of junior guard Jimmy Barista. He produced a double-double performance, along with fellow junior, Alex Majewski, ending the game with 17 points. O’Neill was the top performer with 24 points on six three-pointers. The biggest factor during the game was the Crusaders nabbed 34 rebounds compared to Marian Catholic’s 23 rebounds. This win brought Rice to 12-8 overall.

On Friday, February 3, the Crusaders played another home game, this time against Catholic League South opponent, Providence Catholic. Last time Rice played the Celtics, Garrett O’Neill hit a last second shot to claim the victory in New Lenox. This time, Providence Catholic was seeking revenge, but the Crusaders needed to defend their home court.

To begin the game, Providence’s stellar point guard, Kevin Kozan hit a deep three-pointer to warn the Crusaders of his long-range capabilities. Rice knew that tight defense on Kozan was a necessity if they wished to stop the Celtics’ offensive attack. At the end of the first quarter, Rice led 19-18.

The trend continued throughout the second quarter with O’Neill consistently hitting a variety of shots and playing to his true potential. Majewski used Providence’s weak post play to his advantage and racked up a substantial amount of easy buckets. Going into halftime, the Crusaders led by five, 31-26.

In the second half, the Celtics’ Kozan went ice cold from the field which allowed Rice to flourish on offense. They finally pulled past Providence with a final score of 66-56. A huge part of the Crusaders’ win was that they shot 17 for 19 from the line and pulled down 26 defensive rebounds. O’Neill shot a perfect 8 for 8 free-throws and finished with 21 points. Majewski had yet another double-double performance with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The highlight of Friday night came with roughly 13 seconds left in the game. Rice stole the ball, and Providence could not get back on defense quick enough. The ball was passed to Majewski who slammed down a fierce dunk to put the icing on the cake and sent the Crusader Crazies into frenzy.

Filed Under: Articles of Interest, Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, Students, The Standard

Tonight’s Basketball Game vs Seton to be Broadcast Live Online

January 27, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

We are pleased to announce that tonight’s varsity basketball game at 7:30 pm featuring Brother Rice and Seton is being broadcast LIVE on High School Cube. If you are unable to attend in person, go to HighSchoolCube.com and watch what promises to be a great game. This broadcast will be streamed live on the Internet, iPhones, iPads and Droid Devices with a replay and highlight clips available after the game.

Filed Under: Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips

One Crusader to Honor the Crazies

January 27, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

Shaun Jacob attended the Brother Rice-Marist basketball game nine days ago — no different than many supportive alumni from the respective schools — and stood amazed at the atmosphere.

Yes, the game itself was memorable, with Marist taking down Brother Rice 75-69.

But the action on the court was only part of what made the neighborhood battle so special, and left Jacob thinking he had to do something.

“I was just standing in the balcony, on the rail, and I’m saying to myself, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this at a high school game,’” said Jacob, a 1993 graduate of Brother Rice. “There were like, 500 Brother Rice students at the game. I just had to do something for them.”

So impressed was Jacob with the Crusader Crazies — the name of Rice’s student section, he made a call to the school the very next day.

Tonight's Basketball Games vs. St. Francis are Cancelled

January 20, 2012 By admin

Due to inclement weather, tonight’s sophomore and varsity basketball games have been cancelled and are rescheduled for the same time on Tuesday at St. Francis. The freshman “A” game scheduled for Saturday morning is still being played.

Filed Under: Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips

ORANGE OUT at Crusader Crazy Appreciation Night

January 20, 2012 By admin

It’s time to ORANGE OUT at Brother Rice! On Friday, January 27, the Crusader Crazies, alums, and our Crusader families are asked to wear orange to support the basketball teams as they take on Seton at Crusader Crazy Appreciation Night. We’d also like to welcome our 8^th grade future Crusaders, who took the entrance exam last weekend, to join in the celebration by wearing orange and sitting in the Crusader Crazy section. Alums are also asked to wear orange and pack the alumni seating area in the north balcony for a full house of Crusader Crazies!

Thanks to the generosity of Crusader Alumni Athletic Club member Shaun Jacob ’93, in conjunction with the Brother Rice Board of Directors, administration, and teachers and on behalf of ALL Rice alumni, free pizza will be served in the cafeteria for all alumni, the Crazies, the Crusader families, and our 8^th grade future Crusaders during the half-time of the sophomore game (approximately 6:15 P.M.).

Competition against Seton begins with the sophomore game at 5:45 P.M. followed by the varsity game starts at 7:30 P.M. Let’s show our Crusader spirit by packing the gym and cheering on our teams at Crusader Crazy Appreciation Night!

Filed Under: Admissions, Alumni, Athletics, Basketball, Basketball News, Crusader Clips, Events, Students

Alumni Spotlight: Mike Kennedy becomes fourth player in St. Ambrose School History to Eclipse 2,000 Career Points

January 19, 2012 By admin

St. Ambrose provided Mike Kennedy with a different type of college education.

The 6-foot-6 forward arrived four years ago with the reputation of being a shooter.

He’ll finish his career later this year as a complete player, providing the type of consistent performance that has placed the senior in elite company.

Kennedy took the court Wednesday at Viterbo needing six points to become the fourth player in St. Ambrose history to score 2,000 points.

A 24-point game Saturday against Waldorf raised his career scoring total to 1,994 points, a number topped by only one active player at any level of college basketball.

“It wouldn’t matter if we were playing Holy Family Grade School or DePaul, Mike’s going to give you 20 points and 10 rebounds every night,” Fighting Bees coach Ray Shovlain said. “Every game, 20 and 10, that’s the way has been since the day he arrived. He competes, very steady, very reliable.”

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