Spire Institute and Garfield Heights coaches fuel fire ahead of big game
Spire Institute and Garfield Heights will take the floor Thursday night at 7 p.m.
CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - At the top of November neither team was scheduled to play each other.
That all changed after Jermaine Jackson called out head coach Sonny Johnson at when introducing LaMelo Ball as the team’s latest addition.
Beyond the smack talk between coaches the match up is highly anticipated for a number of reasons.
Spire Institute boasts stars in Rocket Watts, Isaiah Jackson and LaMelo Ball.
The academy draws talent from across the nation and beyond with players from Hungry, and Canada on the team.
As a member of the OHSAA Garfield Heights High School doesn’t have that luxury.
The kid is just a sophomore, but he proved through his play last season, that he is a force to be reckoned with.
He’ll be head-up on LaMelo Ball all night.
“LaMelo he’s a pro - but I consider myself a pro, so we gone go at it.”
The 17-year-old played in Lithuania last year, and most recently did a stint in his father’s JBA league.
The youngest of 3 boys, he says he hopes to play college basketball at a top school.
Friday he listed UNC, Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, MSU among his list of prime colleges.
Garfield Heights is a young team plus it’s their first real matchup of the season.
Coach Sonny Johnson is trying to balance the game as well as the fact that he’ll be coaching his freshman son in his first high school game.
The jitters may be there, but all of the butterflies have to exit the building when the ball is tipped.
The game is set for 7 p.m. at Euclid High School.
Oh yeah...Lavar Ball will also be there.
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