Irish record historic win
SV-SM 60, Trotwood-Mad. 51
Lunden McDay didn’t need to be directed toward the ladder underneath the basket or given tips on the proper technique in which to cut down the nets after Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary won yet another state basketball championship.
McDay had a pair of scissors in hand and beat everyone to the first step to get a souvenir after the Irish put on an impressive display in defeating TrotwoodMadison 60-51 in the Division II final on Saturday.
The Irish might not have won a record-setting eighth title without McDay doing a little bit of everything. He led the team with 19 points and had five rebounds and a blocked shot before 9,096 at Value City Arena.
McDay might have gotten more satisfaction than anyone else in that it was another triumphant return to Columbus for him. He spent the first seven years of his life in Akron, but lived in Groveport through his freshman Jordan Addison (21) and his teammates celebrate after winning a record-setting eighth state basketball title for Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.
year of high school.
“This feels great. I had a lot of friends come back and support me,” he said. I couldn’t even begin to count them. We went back to Akron because my dad (David) wanted to be closer to my grandparents to take care of them.”
It was not easy for McDay to adjust to a Catholic school from a public school.
“It was hard, definitely,” he said. “There’s more discipline and you wear a uniform. But I really enjoy the school. The team has been like a family to me
from the start. I was welcomed. Coach (Dru Joyce) has taught me a lot on and off the court. It has been amazing.”
St. Vincent-St. Mary (21-8) had to defeat Trotwood-Madison (26-4) a second straight season in the final four in order to win. Last season, the Irish edged the Rams 52-50 in a semifinal.
The Irish were tied with seven championships with Middletown and Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. They defeated VA-SJ this season in a regional final 84-69.
Joyce was humbled with yet another championship.
“This is special
— it really means a lot — because no one believed we could do anything,” he said. “We lost so many games and lost so many seniors. When you lose two Division I guards you are not supposed to be that good. We told the players that they could do something historic today. We told them that this is something they always can hold on to.”