SPORTS
JV SAVES
BASKETBALL
SEASON
24 JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2021
With the Varsity
quarantined, the JV
kept the season alive
J
the regular season. There was hope and
optimism for a deep playoff run.
Neal
Goldman, assistant coach Joe Sansonetti
basketball team was quarantined the week
before the District Tournament.
Hope and optimism suddenly were
replaced by despair and pessimism.
Only one player, Junior Vandeross ’22,
was available to play, since he had been
returning from quarantine when everyone
else was just starting. A great season had
been, apparently, ended by the pandemic.
There was only one option – the JV team
would join Vandeross and play the District
Tournament.
JV head coach Orloff Civil’s squad had
had already turned in their uniforms and
turned their attention elsewhere.
They reconvened, refocused, and were
winning two games at the District
Tournament and advancing to the District
Final, so that the Varsity season could
continue into the Region playoffs.
sophomores and no player taller than
with Civil as head coach, Vandeross at
point guard, and young players such
as Christopher Moliere ’24 and Jaxson
Bless ’23 playing key roles, they downed
Jefferson, 67-53.
was more daunting. The Stingrays had
CROOK NAMED
FLORIDA’S BEST
WRESTLER
Tom Crook ’22 has taken the
years as a wrestler for Jesuit.
Such perfection generates
recognition, and it has poured in for
Crook this year.
Champion. He is nationally ranked
by multiple media outlets.
And he is Florida’s Mr. Wrestling.
In April, Crook was awarded the
highly prestigious honor given to
the top wrestler in the State, all
and he earned it by knocking off
another nationally ranked wrestler,
Ethan Mojena of Countryside, in
match to remain undefeated for his
prep career.
Making it even sweeter for Crook
was that his twin brother, Jack
Crook ’22, also won a State title.
Moments after Tom’s championship
match ended, Jack took the mat for
the third straight year Jesuit has
had multiple State Champions, and
under head coach Sal Basile.
Troy
) and a winning record, and
now Bless was not available to play.
Jesuit entered the 4th quarter down
Then Civil’s pressure defense began
to wear on Sumner. Nate Boakye ’24
and Vandeross forced turnovers and
converted them into buckets. With a
protocol-limited, screaming crowd of
like a packed house, the Tigers rallied
for an improbable 53-47 win. They
quarter.
Emotions spilled over after the game,
as the team and Civil celebrated. On
the livestream broadcast, announcer
John Pedrero ’81 went bonkers, as
did the Varsity players and Goldman
watching from home.
The Varsity returned for the District
Final. Rusty from the layoff, the Tigers
lost to Blake. But by reaching the
District Final, Jesuit had advanced to
the Region, though that too would now
be extra daunting as they would have
to play every game on the road.
No matter. Led by guard Ryan
, Jesuit rattled off three straight
road upsets, at Clearwater, Blake,
and Naples, to advance to the Final
Four. The season ended in the State
eventual State Champion Pembroke
Pines Charter.
“The JV saved us, plain and simple,”
Weir said. “Our JV is a bunch of
heroes.”
The JV team
rallies around
coach Orloff Civil
during its win
in the District
Semifinal
Tom Crook '22 is the first from Jesuit honored as Florida's
Mr. Wrestling