Eagles rock as winning-streak rolls Monday, February 27, 2012 By Charlie Hatch After receiving a pass from Adam Brown, the ‘Big Dog’ Isaiah Johnson dunked over a Loveland defender. Throughout the year, Johnson was the go-to-guy in the paint, and was a big reason for the teams incredible 18-2 record. The Eagles claimed the fifth seed in the city for the state tournament. - Charlie Hatch Advertising If you could write a script to describe the best possible season for the boys basketball team, it would sound like this year. Not only did the Eagles win the FAVC conference, they also finished the regular season riding on a 17-game winning streak into the state tournament, a Walnut Hills record, and went undefeated at home. Although the team started 1-2 with losses at LaSalle and Milford, the Eagles were able to keep it together and play well throughout the season.       “[LaSalle] was our first real test of the season,” said Isaiah ‘Big Dog’ Johnson, ‘13, the  center who can be a threat in the paint both offensively and on defense.                     “Even though we lost, it made us that much better as a team seeing where we were and where we needed to get to.”  “They had the best player we played all year, they were the best team we played all year, and we were away at their court,” SENIOR Carlitos Anderson told the Chatterbox.                  Throughout the season, Walnut got poor and questionable calls in every gym that they played in. One huge reason, was the ‘Big Dog’ himself, who towered over every opponent the Eagles faced all year. “It was kind-of hard playing against teams that didn’t have anyone my size,” says Johnson.      “So I couldn’t play as physical as I would’ve liked, but what makes a good player a good player is how he is able to respond to adversity and I think I responded pretty well.” But when the going got tough, Walnut was able to come out on top in every game. The Eagles were able to pick up big wins at St. Xavier, and both games against Turpin. Walnut beat the Turpin Spartans by one point each time they played, which both came down to the last shot. At home, Kodey Jackson, ‘13, was able to bury a fade-away jumper to hit a buzzer beater, and away Turpin was unable to make theirs.  Another major factor that boosted the Eagles into an undefeated home record was the Nut House. “Playing in our gym was amazing,” said Anderson. “The Nut House was always packed, loud, and had our backs. We felt more comfortable at home.” And the best example of that,  was the game of the season, Senior Night.  On a night celebrated as the last game in the historic gym, as well as for the SENIORS, the Nut House and the parents worked together to overflow the building with bodies making it one of the loudest home games in recent memory, despite the lop-sided 69-46 score over Wilmington.  “It was great playing in that gym,” says Johnson. “It was loud, hot and the crowd was right there next to you the whole time. I can only imagine how it must of been for the visitors to play there.” “It was packed, it was loud... I think the whole student body was there,” Wilmington coach Mike Noszka told wnewsj.com. And it didn’t help his team’s cause by trying to double team Johnson, only to leave guards open for three pointers.  The Wilmington Hurricane didn’t get any favors from SENIOR Andrew Mitchell, who went out in a blaze hitting threes and producing 20 points in his final game at home.  “I was feeling well all night long but it was hard not to feel that way tonight,” Mitchell said to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Mitchell went on to describe how his grandfather played on the same floor generations before, and how meaningful it was to him. When the final seconds ticked off of the clock and horn sounded, the crowd stormed the court for one final time, to join new FAVC conference champions and congratulate the team on their undefeated home record.  Athletic Director Tom Donnelly hired Miller Photography to take a picture of all the Eagle supporters in attendance before the team cut down the nets. After all the players went up the ladder to snip their piece of history, the driving force behind the team, coach Rob Moman, took down the net and rose it into the air above the Nut House with the look of satisfaction. Moman, in his third year as the head coach of the varsity team, already has two FAVC titles for the Eagles, and has provided the tools essential to compete in post-season play.  “Coach is like the driver of the car,” says point-guard Sterling Gilmore, ‘13. “Without him we wouldn’t be as good as we are. He has adjusted to us and how we play just as much as we have adjusted to him and how he coaches.” “Coach ‘Mo’ does a lot with the help of all the other coaches,” Anderson believes. “We are always prepared for whatever team we have to play, we know exactly what they will do and players on the team will do that. But the most important thing he does is plays with us in practice because he is actually good and big and makes ‘Dog’ and the rest of us work harder.” If nothing else, this Eagles team demonstrated great unity which has been unmatched by any opponent on their schedule. And as they enter the state tournament,  they know they have each other’s backs.  “My favorite moment was any moment that I got to spend with this team,” says Johnson. “This is one of my favorite teams that I have ever played with, I love all these guys. Coach ‘Mo’ has helped us out tremendously by getting us all focused on the same thing and I think that this tournament run this year will be something special.”

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