The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Spartans will stay road-tested in tournament
With new gym not ready, RH to play home games at Brush
Quinten Rogers was hoping for the best, but prepared to make other plans.
The Richmond Heights boys basketball coach, who also serves as the high school’s athletic director, was holding out hope his talented squad could play its home tournament games at the school’s renovated gym.
There wasn’t enough time. The playing surface is ready but the surrounding amenities were not, so the Spartans — similar to last season — will play its home tournament games at neighboring Brush High School.
“They’re still working in there,” said Rogers about the renovated gym at Richmond Heights. “It’s just not sufficient to be open.”
The Spartans are the No. 1 seed in the Division IV Northeast 3 pod, and hosts No. 11 seed Kidron Central Christian on Feb. 26. If its seed holds through the district, Richmond Heights would also host a semifinal at Brush on March 2, and the final on March 5.
Rogers said his players were excited about the possibility of playing at home — something the program hasn’t done for nearly two full seasons — but not having that option won’t be a big deal.
“You know what?,” said Rogers. “I think they’ve played on the road so much, it doesn’t make much of a difference. I didn’t hear anything from the guys.”
Playing home tournament games at Brush was a natural, especially since the Spartans played their first sectional game there last season.
“That was our first and only option,” said Rogers about Brush. “Good facility, good people there.”
There was some good news for the program as the team conducted a practice on its new court for the first time on Feb. 21. Even better news for Richmond Heights was its performance in the last week of the regular season.
It couldn’t have gone better for Rogers and Co., and the results should be a message for the rest of the state in D-IV the Spartans will be a tough out in the postseason.
The week began Feb. 15 with a 79-76 win at D-I Medina, then was capped with another victory over another D-I opponent — 7661 at Walsh Jesuit three days later.
“We knew all along about the challenge this season would be,” said Rogers, whose team had to deal with multiple pauses this season. “With the quarantines, we weren’t able to get a flow throughout the season. Last week, we finally put it together.”
The Spartans should be well-tested for the tournament.
They began the season with three straight losses against D-I powers St. Edward, St. Ignatius and Akron St. Vicent-St. Mary. The team’s other loss was to a tough D-II team in Warrensville Heights. All four losses were competitive games throughout.
Now the question is can Richmond Height bring home the school’s first state championship in boys basketball? Considering its talent — led by D-I recruit Josiah Harris (18.3 points, 11.5 rebounds) and the rest of the starting five that averages in double-figures in scoring — its reasonable to give the Spartans the role of a favorite to get to the state tournament at the University of Dayton.
Hold on, said Rogers. He’s making sure his team isn’t think about the state tournament or a possible state championship with multiple steps still in front of the team.
“We don’t assume victories,” said Rogers, whose team advanced to the state tournament two seasons ago but lost in a semifinal. “We’re going about these games, and we’re not putting pressure on them. We’ll tell them, ‘Just play.’ We block out outside noise.”
Richmond Heights isn’t the only area team playing its home tournament games at another site. Fairport — the No. 4 seed in the same pod at the Spartans — has issues with heat at its gym, so its upcoming game against No. 5 seed Independence on Feb. 26 is being played at Madison High School.