'07-'08 Loyola Basketball By the Numbers
50 ~In Loyola's win over Cardinal Gibbons in the BCL quarterfinals Coach Davalli recorded career win number 50 in just his 3rd season at the helm of the Dons
4, 3, 299 ~Four of Loyola's Seniors James Davenport, Bobby Kirby, Sal Schittino, and Steele Stanwick all played 3 years of varsity basketball under Coach Davalli and Coach Maggio, combining to play in 299 career games
251 ~Senior point guard Steele Stanwick finished his career with 251 assists
33 ~Assistant Coach, and former Mt. St. Joe Coach Pat Maggio completed his 33rd year of coaching basketball
36 ~The Dons stingy defense held opponents to a league best 36% shooting for the year (this compared to 38% in '06-'07 & 42% in '05-'06)
49.3 ~The Dons led the league in points allowed holding opponents to just 49.3 points per game
720 ~Junior shooting guard Matt Rum has 720 career points
44 ~Shooting guards Sal Schittino and Matt Rum both hit 44 three pointers this season ( Schittino had105 for career & Matt Rum has 91 to this point)
20 ~Senior Bobby Kirby took 20 charges this year and ends his career with 29
361 ~Sharing the ball, the Dons finish the season with 361 assists as a team. This compares to '06-'07's total of 271, and 159 in '05-'06
10 ~It had been 10 years since a Loyola team made it to the BCL Semifinals (last appearance was in 1998)
Last year, the Dons were the best defensive team in both leagues holding teams to 47.0 points per game. Loyola will continue to bring success on the defensive side of the ball as well as orchestrate a consistent offense.
Coach Davalli is very eager to start the season off, and will return three starters: seniors Steele Stanwick, Bobby Kirby, and junior Matt Rum. Stanwick will look to lead this team being the primary ball -handler; furthermore he will share captain duty with fellow seniors James Davenport, and Sal Schittino. Stanwick, Davenport, Kirby, and Schittino are entering their 3rd year on the Varsity team. James is expected to be one of the more versatile players on this team, as he is capable to play anywhere from point guard to power forward. He will be counted on to not only be a defensive stopper for the Dons, but also to contribute offensively, as he is one of the more all-around players the team has. Schittino will continue to remain as one of the important pieces on a Dons offense that thrives on perimeter play from their guards, while Kirby, at 6’6” is expected to carry the burden of being the team’s primary “big man” down in the paint.
Lastly, Matt Rum, a 6’3” junior guard, is bound to have a terrific year for the Dons as he is the team’s returning leading scorer (11.0 ppg). His outside shooting skills make him one of the top returning juniors in the league. The bench looks to also be strong for Loyola as they return senior guards Patrick Cotherman, Ryan Shewell, and center Pat Lowe to provide leadership throughout the season and also contribute when needed. Juniors Brandon Floyd and Trevor Dauses were two of three sophomores on the Varsity last year and look to prosper after what was a good learning experience for the two forwards. Finally, rounding out the roster are three move-ups from the JV in Matt Heacock, Perry Mahle, and Blake Wier.
By Peter Dalmasy '09
In the Gold Division congratulations goes to Mt. Royal who beat Severna Park 3D (gold) to win the championship. Mt. Royal finished the tournament 4-0, and combined athleticism and some superior size to win this year's Gold Division.
Congratulations to all of the teams and coaches for participating in this year's Loyola Shootout. Thank you for making it such a successful event. The coaching staff of Loyola Blakefield would like to wish you the best of luck in your upcoming seasons. Don't forget to check out Loyola Blakefield Basketball this year as we compete for the Baltimore Catholic League and MIAA "A" Conference Championships. Please click here to view and download our schedule.
However, as January arrived, the competition arose. The Varsity team experienced tough opponents, and yet led both leagues in team defense, surrendering only 47.0 points per game. Loyola was also league leader in 3PT percentage at 34%. Junior point guard Steele Stanwick was the floor general for Coach Davalli’s Dons; his 6.5 points per game was 5th on the team, and his 4.8 assists were tops on the team. The BCL noticed and Stanwick was awarded a 3rd Team All-BCL honor. Junior guard Sal Schittino and Bobby Kirby also had good seasons. Schittino averaged 8.4 ppg and was 91% from the free throw line to lead the team, while Kirby, a 6’5 forward, provided good defense and rebounding on some of the state’s top forwards, with four schools having division-one bound players in their respective front courts.
Senior leadership was provided by Mike Horne, whom like Stanwick, was also honored on the BCL 3rd team, Omari Mobley, who had critical plays throughout the season, and Zach Quinn. Mobley, a third year Varsity player, starred in wins over St. John’s Catholic Prep, and hit the game winner in a triple-overtime thriller versus St. Frances. Horne, at 6’1”, usually had to cover the opposing team’s best forward, and displayed great athleticism and toughness all season, while Quinn, had great outings versus Calvert Hall and Mount St. Joe. Another thing the Dons were pleased to have was consistent play from sophomore guard Matt Rum, who started every game and was the only player to average double-figures in points (11.0). Rum, who is already receiving steady interest from several Division I schools, looks to be one of the top rising juniors for next season along with fellow sophomore Brandon Floyd, leave Dons fans hope for an even better season next year and a bright future ahead. Junior James Davenport, one of the more versatile players on the team, had great outputs in the early season 10-1 start, and concluded the season with a great offensive output in the BCL quarterfinal versus MSJ in which he contributed 18 points. Reserves Trevor Dauses, a sophomore, and juniors Patrick Cotherman, Ryan Shewell, and Pat Lowe were all pivotal and reliable in the team’s practices, and will look to battle for playing time next season.
Next year will be Coach Davalli’s third year in the program and looks to be the best opportunity to win the championship, as the team returns three starters. Coach Davalli is also pleased with the several incoming freshman, who will look to provide stability throughout the program. Thank you to the fans of the Dons for a wonderful season, and we hope to see you pack the Don Dome many more times.