Men’s Basketball Defeats Revolutionaries on Cerebral Palsy Awareness Night 

Loyola’s men’s basketball team demolished George Washington University Feb. 26 in a 77-57 victory. Third-year guard Jayden Dawson led the Ramblers with 16 points, while redshirt third-year forward Rafael Castro scored 18 for the Revolutionaries. 

Wednesday night’s game honored Cerebral Palsy Awareness, a movement disorder which has impacted head coach Drew Valentine’s daughter Hayden, who was diagnosed with the congenital disorder around her first birthday. Valentine said he was happy to show support within Loyola Athletics for the community. 

“That’s the purpose of this, to create a sense of community,” Valentine said. “Everything is about the program, everything is about creating a sense of family. And that’s all we want to do — is invite another special, special community that’s near and dear to Loyola basketball’s hearts, and let that community know they feel welcomed.” 

Castro made a layup to score the first points of the game which were matched by a jumper by second-year center Miles Rubin on the next possession. Rubin then took the lead for the Ramblers after a successful trip to the line. 

Castro tied it at four with a layup but failed to capitalize on a following and-one. Third-year guard Kymany Houinsou recaptured the lead with a driving layup, only for Castro to tie it again with another layup. 

A 3-pointer by graduate guard Sheldon Edwards Jr. was replicated on the other end of the court by first-year Revolutionaries guard Ty Bevins. A steal and layup by third-year guard Jalen Quinn a minute later recovered the Rambler lead — which they maintained for the remainder of the game. 

Quinn made a jumper and a layup while fourth-year forward Jalen DeLoach added a layup. After a DeLoach foul call was reviewed by officials and upgraded to a flagrant one foul, George Washington’s graduate guard Gerald Drumgoole Jr. went to the line and made both attempts. 

Two 3-pointers by fourth-year forward Francis Nwaokorie and Edwards Jr., alongside a layup by Rubin, made it 25-11. 

Red-shirt third-year Revolutionaries guard Trey Moss scored five straight with a tip-in layup and a 3-pointer, before Dawson added his own 3-pointer. After Dawson gave up a turnover following a double-dribble call, Castro brought the Revolutionaries within eight with a layup and a dunk. 

After another Castro layup, Dawson completed a three-point play, which kicked off over two minutes of scoreless action before Dawson hit a three. 

Redshirt first-year Revolutionaries guard Christian Jones had a successful trip to the line to shrink the margin back to 10. A Quinn layup cancelled out the free throws, but George Washington’s graduate forward Sean Hansen added a layup for a 36-26 game. 

On the next possession, Nwaokorie drained a 3-pointer which preceded a three-minute drought on the court. Watson broke the ice with 30 seconds left in the half and made a driving layup, giving the Ramblers a 41-26 advantage at halftime. 

Rubin opened the second half with an explosive dunk, while Jones went back to the line and made one. Each team went scoreless for just under two minutes, until Houinsou made a jumper and Rubin slammed a dunk, forcing George Washington to call a timeout down 47-27. 

Castro and Houinsou traded jumpers before Edwards Jr. and Dawson each made a 3-pointer. Bevins broke another brief scoring drought with a jumper to make it 55-31. 

The Revolutionaires went on a six-point run with a Castro jumper, a steal and layup by second-year guard Jacoi Hutchinson and a Bevins dunk. Quinn interrupted their streak after making two free throws and a layup. 

Drumgoole Jr. and Nwaokorie traded threes twice before Castro made two at the line. On the following trip, Dawson made one free throw and DeLoach added a second-chance jumper to make it 68-45. 

The Ramblers’ lead hit 30 points after Dawson made a three, DeLoach slammed a dunk and Houinsou sent in a jumper. 

A three by Hutchinson ended the Ramblers’ run and second-year guard Trey Autry added support with two free throws. Following a DeLoach dunk, Hutchinson and Autry each made a 3-pointer, concluding the game at 77-57 with another win for the Ramblers. 

With the season coming to a close, Nwaokorie said the team is focusing on one game at a time and playing the best they can. 

“I think the main thing is trying to take care of business, especially in this conference,” Nwaokorie said. “No game is easy, and everyone is gonna try to beat you and every game matters for us. I think what we’re trying to do is focus on the little things that can help us to take care of all these teams.” 

The Ramblers take on Davidson College in their last home game of the season Wednesday, March 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and can be streamed on CBS Sports Network.