Sunday, March 03, 2002
Basketball brothers sharing dream
College update
By Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer
They played together only once, just one season.
Back then, Cain Doliboa was a Springboro High School senior, blistering opponents with 24 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. Sophomore Seth Doliboa was the rookie, playing up on the varsity basketball team for the first time with his big brother.
The Panthers cruised to an 18-2 record, but postseason dreams were extinguished with a second-round tournament loss to Badin.
The Doliboa brothers, who together had pounded out streetball games all their lives, knew their chemistry and comparable talent had been factors in the season's success. If — just if — they had one more chance to play together, the next experience could be phenomenal.
And now Wright State University doesn't want to let them go.
“They love to play. That's as much as anything what they brought — a passion for the game of basketball,” Raiders coach Ed Schilling said. “They're always the last ones out of the gym after practice, and then every night they come back to work on their own.”
Cain, a senior, averages 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds a game while shooting 90 percent from the free throw line and 48 percent from 3-point range. Seth, a sophomore, has helped the Raiders to a 17-10 record (9-7 Horizon League) with 16.3 points and seven rebounds a game. Both shoot better than 47 percent from the field.
But this, their second official season together, has been a long time coming.
“When we played together in high school, I was more of a role player as a sophomore and I passed the ball a lot,” said Seth, who went on to score 17.5 points and grab 11.2 rebounds a game by his senior year at Springboro. “I felt like if we went to college together, we could play at our potential together.”
Cain began his college career at the University of Dayton, confident that his brother would follow the same path two years later. Seth didn't. When a Flyers offer wasn't extended, Seth chose Bowling Green State instead.
“It was a shock,” Cain said. "I couldn't believe he didn't get an offer. I thought he was one of the best players around.”
Cain played two full seasons and started a third at Dayton before suffering a back injury. He learned his scholarship wouldn't be renewed a fifth year and began searching for alternatives, ultimately choosing Wright State. After making the decision, the first thing he did was call Seth.
“I wasn't getting a lot of playing time as a freshman (at Bowling Green), but I liked it there. I never even thought about transferring until Cain called,” Seth said. “But it was closer to home and to my family, and I loved Coach Schilling, so it was an obvious decision.”
As transfers, the Doliboas sat out last season before making their Raider debuts in the fall. They share an apartment at Wright State, major in the same field (marketing) and spend as much time as possible on the court.
Cain, whose figures have regularly topped NCAA statistics in 3-pointers and free throw accuracy, capped the regular season as the Horizon League's Newcomer of the Year. Both brothers were tapped for the conference's second team after guiding the Raiders to fourth place in the league.
“I think our games complement each other,” Cain said. “I shoot a lot of jump shots and he likes to go to the basket. It's easy for us to read each other; we don't miscommunicate often.”
The fourth-seeded Raiders played their first game in the Horizon League Tournament in Cleveland Saturday, competing against No. 5 Loyola in the quarterfinals.
Now that the Doliboas have finally found their niche together, neither wants to let it go. Cain is petitioning the NCAA for another year of eligibility and plans to pursue graduate school. Seth has two more years of eligibility.
Looking back, both players wish they would've gone directly to Wright State after Springboro graduation.
“I wanted this so bad out of high school,” Seth said. “We've been through hard times since then. But it's worked out for the best.”
ALSO: Mercyhurst College sophomore Troy Ledbetter (Sycamore) set a school one-game record with seven goals Feb. 28 as the men's lacrosse team defeated Mars Hill 11-7 in the season opener.
Mount St. Joseph sophomore Virginia Grace (Colerain) was named to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball second team. Freshman Emily Day (Seton) was named to the conference's all-freshman team. Senior Steve Bain (Elder) earned all-conference honors as a forward on the men's basketball team; senior guard Jarett Young (Georgetown) was honorable mention all-HCAC.
Walsh University junior guard J.R. Ogletree (McNicholas), an honorable mention All-American Mideast Conference basketball player, clinched second-team honors after averaging 15 points and 3.2 rebounds a game. Ogletree has scored 1,015 career points. Senior Kerri Andrews (Eastern Brown) earned honorable mention All-AMC, scoring 11.8 ppg and 6 rpg for the Walsh women's team. Andrews scored 1,056 career points and is the school's all-time career assist leader (398).
Kyle Matuszek (Purcell Marian) hit back-to-back home runs in his debut on the Morehead State baseball team. The freshman hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning and, after a 90-minute rain delay, connected on a two-run shot in the bottom of the second. He finished the day 3-for-3 with five RBI. His brother, Kevin (Purcell Marian), was 2-for-5 with four RBI the same day.
Shannon Russell can be reached at 768-8438 or by e-mail at srussell@enquirer.com.
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Basketball brothers sharing dream
