LIMA — The only thing short in Lima Central Catholic’s 68-35 boys basketball win over Delphos St. John’s on Sunday was the amount of time it took the Thunderbirds to take control of the game.
But if some of LCC’s players would have gotten their way, something else would have been short, too.
The two teams wore throwback uniforms to honor the 1948 St. Rose state runner-up team and the 1949 Delphos St. John’s state champion team.
LCC’s Ethan O’Connor and Thomas Williams, whose grandfathers played on the 1948 St. Rose team, said they were hoping for a complete throwback uniform, including the short basketball shorts their grandfathers wore. But they had to settle for trying to roll up the waist band of their modern-day length shorts.
“I didn’t know what they (the uniforms) were going to look like but I was praying we’d get the short shorts. When they came in not short we had to roll them a few times,” Williams said.
O’Connor said, “Same here. I wanted to do it. I’ve seen a few videos of my dad (LCC’s JV coach Mike O’Connor) playing and they’re a little funny.”
Their grandfathers, John O’Connor and Tom Williams, were starters on the 1948 St. Rose team, whose starting five wore numbers 55, 66, 77, 88 and 99.
LCC created some big numbers of its own when it jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the game’s first 4 ½ minutes, was up 40-18 at halftime and led 61-24 after three quarters. Josh Dixon was the only Thunderbirds starter who played in the fourth quarter.
Dantez Walton scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead LCC (10-0). Tre Cobbs scored 14 points, Dixon had 12 points and O’Connor scored 10. Center Tim Kreeger had 12 points and seven rebounds for St. John’s (6-3).
Defensive pressure launched LCC out to its big early lead. The Thunderbirds forced nine turnovers in the first quarter, 16 in the first half and 27 in the game.
“We played last night and our legs were getting a little tired but Coach Kill didn’t really care about that. He said we’re going to run, we’re going to run, we’re going to run,” O’Connor said.
Williams said, “We knew if we played our game and put on enough pressure, they’d turn the ball over.”
LCC coach Frank Kill said, “For us to be able to turn a team over like that, and I think we had 10 offensive rebounds, when you can get that kind of margin on extra possessions, good things are going to happen.
“Our guys know this is a big game and how important it is to our fans. I think it’s a reason why they went out there and played as well as they did today,” he said.
LCC honored Tom Williams and Joe Lawler from the 1948 St. Rose team and Johnny Giesken from the 1949 St. John’s team before the game.
Ethan O’Connor said, “It’s just an honor to play behind them. I mean, they carried the legacy and we’re carrying their legacy on. It’s quite an honor.”
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