During his team’s recent losing streak, Loyola boys basketball coach Tom Livatino said the Ramblers never lost sight of the bigger picture.
“It’s about preparation, teamwork and sacrifice,” he said of the team’s hallmarks. “At no time was there any quit or giving in. That’s what impresses me. They stuck together and kept working at it.”
But Livatino didn’t deny the significance of the 76-46 win over Bishop McNamara on Feb. 15 at St. Laurence in the Catholic League tournament consolation bracket quarterfinals. The victory snapped a seven-game skid that was bookended with a Jan. 20 loss to St. Viator and the 66-43 defeat to Providence on Feb. 13 in the first round of the conference tournament.
All of the losses during the streak came to well-regarded teams, including St. Joseph, the No. 10-ranked team by the baiduhai. Two of the losses — against DePaul Prep and No. 17 Fenwick — came in overtime and another was a 43-42 loss to St. Ignatius.
“Eventually, they needed to see a win on the board,” Livatino said. “It was a very, very tough stretch. After the Providence loss, we had a spirited practice [on Feb. 14], and then we played well in the consolation portion. It was just what the doctor ordered. We were focused and did what we were supposed to do.”
Senior guard Mike Mangan admitted the losing was tough on the Ramblers, but he said the team didn’t lose faith in the process.
“Yes, it definitely was hard, but we couldn’t focus on the losses,” Mangan said. “We just had to focus on getting better.”
Mangan said the Feb. 15 victory could serve as a springboard for the rest of the season. Mangan, one of two Ramblers to be named to the all-conference team, had eight points, nine assists and three steals in the win. Junior guard Brandon Danowski, who scored 26 points against Bishop McNamara, also earned all-league honors.
“It helped our psyche,” Mangan said of the win. “We did a lot of things really well. We hope it’s something that can carry us into the playoffs.”
Loyola received the No. 11 seed in the Class 4A Waukegan Sectional and plays No. 22 Taft at 7:30 p.m. March 2 in the Evanston Regional quarterfinals. Like most North Shore teams, the Ramblers are in the Waukegan Sectional, which features No. 1 Stevenson. Several other top teams, including No. 3 Lake Forest, No. 14 Notre Dame, No. 18 Evanston and No. 19 Maine South are in the sectional.
But Mangan said Loyola’s schedule has prepared the Ramblers to play anybody in the state.
“We will not see anybody that scares us,” he said. “We will be confident, and we believe we have the opportunity to win every game we play.”
Twitter: @harnesspreps