Every season, the goal for the Cavaliers is simple: win a CSAC title and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. They took a huge stride toward achieving that goal for a fourth straight season on Saturday, Feb. 9, by routing the Rosemont Ravens, 96-66.
The win clinched the top seed in the upcoming CSAC Tournament and earned the Cavs an automatic berth in the semi-final on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
“We stress to our team that hard-work beats talent and talent works hard,” assistant coach Saleem Brown said.
“We knew coming into the game that we were bigger in size,” fifth-year head coach Marcus Kahn said. “We ran transitions then full court press to tire them out and get a few great baskets.”
The game was especially important for five seniors: Goran Dulac, DeLeon Floyd, John Glenn, Jeremy Knowles and A.J. Williams who were the starting five. It was their last home game of the regular season. Together the seniors have helped the Cabrini men’s basketball team to a 99-16 record, 65-5 in CSAC play and 54-1 at Nerney Field House. Together, after Saturday’s game, they have scored a total of 2,416 points for the Cavaliers.
“Today was particularly special and different because our parents were allowed into the locker room for the pregame speech,” Williams said.
With certainty, Williams reiterated what coach Kahn said about playing together as a team.
“This was just another game that we were better offensively and defensively,” Williams said.
Junior Fran Rafferty led the team with 17 points. Junior John Miller, sophomore Aaron Walton-Moss and Williams joined in double figures. Miller had 13 points while Walton-Moss and Williams posted 12 each.
Two of the senior members, Floyd and Dulac, tied for a team-high seven rebounds.
“People are looking at us differently because of our wins-losses,” Dulac said, “but honestly we are a more experienced team than last year.”
Both Williams and Dulac said it is an honor to play with such a successful team for four years, gaining three crowns and their first appearance in a national championship.
The team is just approaching the playoffs one game at a time. Their first goal, after clinching home-court advantage in the playoffs, is to become CSAC champions once again. Their second goal is to make yet another appearance in the NCAA Tournament and go as far as they can.
