TOLEDO, Ohio — UPDATE: The St. John's Jesuit basketball team fell to Archbishop Hoban in the state semifinals 49-36 on Saturday.
The St. John's Jesuit Titans basketball team got a proper send-off Friday afternoon in front of students and community members before traveling to Dayton, where the team will play in the state semifinals against Archbishop Hoban from Akron.
"I'm very excited. It's a big stage, big crowd, and it's my first time ever going," senior CJ Hornbeak said.
St. John's is playing in the state semifinals for the first time since 2009.
"It's so cool for our guys," head coach Mike Schoen said. "They deserve it. They've represented our community so well in so many different facets. It's a great feeling too that our guys are able to experience it."
This is Schoen's first time in a state semifinal game as a head coach, but he was on the court for the St. John's team that finished as state runners-up in 2004.
"The past couple of days, you're just kind of an ornery coach getting ready for the next game," Schoen said. "I think you try to appreciate it when it's all said and done. We'll try to appreciate it a little bit when we're there, but at the same time, we're down there to win a game."
Hornbeak has led the Titans thus far, while also becoming second on the school's all-time scoring list behind 2013 graduate and Mr. Basketball Ohio Marc Loving.
"It's meant a lot," Hornbeak said. "I've been playing here for four years. It's been a lot of ups and downs throughout the season. This is my last season, and the mentality is 'win or go home'. We don't wan it to end here. We want it to keep going. "
The Titans play Archbishop Hoban Saturday at the University of Dayton Arena. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.