The Cub basketball team has been very successful throughout its history at the High. This week, the Varsity basketball coach, Mr. Patrick Donnelly, will be highlighted. During his 15-year tenure with the Cubs, he has had some very impressive records and accolades. The most successful team he coached was the 2016 Varsity team. That team went 28-0 and won the state championship very convincingly, with 20-plus points wins in states and semifinals.
The team had a laundry list of talent including many players that went on to have successful college and pro careers. They had Division 1 athletes on the bench of the team! Cassius Winston is the biggest name on that roster. He went on to play basketball at Michigan State University. Cassius left MSU for the draft after an amazing college career. He was drafted 53rd to the Washington Wizards. Scottie Nelson was on the bench of that 2016 basketball team, and he is currently in the NFL. The team was full of star power! Some of the most memorable moments of Coach Donnelly’s coaching career at the high were in his earlier years. The teams broke lots of school records, like in 2012 when the team won the Catholic League for the first time in 15 years. The Cubs also made 3 straight final four appearances in 2014, 2015, and then 2016 when they won states.
Although the team has had lots of success, they have also faced adversity. The 2019 Varsity team battled and made it all the way to the state championship. They were leading late in the game with only a few seconds left. Lincoln threw up a prayer of a shot and won the state championship with a buzzer-beater. Coach Donnelly said, “That one still stings.” He believed that the team did all they could, and it was just unlucky to lose like that.
Coach Donnelly brought a new up-tempo style to the Catholic League. He turned away from the traditional, slow, periodic style of play and sped the game up. The team prioritizes fast transition play to give themselves the edge over their methodical opponents. This play style is becoming a trend in the Catholic league as coaches have begun integrating a similar style into their play becoming. Coach Donnelly believes that he has been fortunate to coach such great athletes and people throughout his time at U of D. He is amazed by how his players go to college after high school and become very successful in their careers and great people. The Cubs’ next basketball season is approaching, and we are all excited to see the next few years of this team!
