AKRON, Ohio — St. Vincent-St. Mary has one of the most impressive trophy cases you’ll ever see.
“We’ve got an ongoing story here, that they’re part of a legacy that’s bigger than them,” said Dru Joyce, St. Vincent-St. Mary Head Coach
As the legacy grows, space to display St. Vincent-St. Mary’s many championships dwindles.
Spring cleaning is a necessity with another trophy to show off incoming.
The Fighting Irish of Akron – St. Vincent-St. Mary’s recently clinched its second straight basketball title, the school’s 10th overall.
In the process, they caught the eye of their most famous alum — Lebron James.
“I was just hoping we’d have a good game,” said St. Vincent-St. Mary guard Sencire Harris. “I wanted to go out my senior year with a big win.“
Sencire, a senior, was a major part of St. Mary-St. Vincent’s latest title run. He led the Irish with 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in the championship game.
“We Just opened it up real big, and it was just fun playing with the last of my guys,” Sencire said.
To add to the state title, Joyce won OHSAA’s Coach of the Year Award and Sencire won co-player of the year in the state.
“Just being here for these three years has been great,” he said. “Coach Dru helped me to become the player I am, and also to my pops and my family helped me out. Pushed me to be great.”
“He’d be the first one to tell you, the thing he can improve on is his shot, but beyond that offensively there’s not much else,” Joyce said.
Taking what he learned at the basketball powerhouse, he’s now off to Big Ten power Illinois to play for the Fighting Illini.
“They got to show me amazing stuff, what they’d do to me to help me get better and build my body,” Sencire said. “They showed me some stuff and I pulled them to the side and I’m like, ‘I’m ready to commit now.’“
