LeBron's high school basketball coach Dru Joyce II and son Cameron both looking to lead teams to state titles this weekend in Ohio

Longtime St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron) boys basketball coach Dru Joyce II and his son Dru Joyce III captured Ohio High School Athletic Association state titles together as coach and player in 2000, 2001 and 2003 on teams that featured LeBron James. This weekend, Coach Dru and his son Cameron will try to claim a couple more medals for the family. Both as coaches. And without LeBron.

Cam Joyce, in his second season as the head coach at St. Ignatius (Cleveland), has led the program to its first Division I state tournament in 20 years. The Wildcats (19-6) face Westerville Central (21-2) in Saturday’s 8 p.m. semifinal at the University of Dayton Arena.

Coach Dru, in his 21st season as head coach and 23rd overall at SVSM, is looking to win his sixth state championship (all with the Irish) and the program’s ninth. SVSM (23-2), ranked No. 25 in the MaxPreps Top 25, faces Shawnee (Lima) (25-1) in a D-II semifinal at 2 p.m. Saturday at UD.

"Getting to come down here at the same time as (my dad) is pretty surreal," Cam Joyce said. "It’s a cool moment for myself, for him and for our family. The good thing is we’re in two different divisions, so we don’t have to play each other."

"It’s one of those things that as a dad you just never dream this opportunity would happen," Joyce II said. "To see the success that Cam’s had has been pleasant to watch. I’ve enjoyed it."

The climb – similar to so many in coaching – has been a grind.

A 2007 SVSM grad that played on a state semifinal team, Cam Joyce spent stints at Patterson Prep School (N.C.) and Kent State before enrolling at Northwood University (Mich.), where he played three years and finished second in career assists. His coaching career began in 2013 as a Tiffin graduate assistant. Stays at Northwood, Florida and Ohio followed. In May 2019 he was hired at St. Ignatius.

Cam Joyce is the first African-American head basketball coach and the 24th head coach in St. Ignatius' 105-year history. The Wildcats own six trips to state (2021, 2001, 1998, 1953, 1952 and 1923).

"He’s put in his time," Joyce II said. "He moved seven times in a little over four years and he’s done all the right things to try to get the opportunity to do the thing he loves. He’s proving that once given that opportunity, he can do great things."

Cam isn’t the first Joyce to do that.

After teaming with LeBron to go 103-5 in four years at SVSM, Joyce III capped a four-year career at the University of Akron as the school’s all-time leader in assists. Following a 12-year professional career in Europe, Joyce III is currently part of the coaching staff at Cleveland State. The 15th seeded Vikings, the Horizon League champions, face No. 2 Houston in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

Coach Dru is one of Ohio’s best ever.

Serving as an assistant on SVSM’s 2000 and 2001 state teams, Joyce II is 414-115 since taking over in 2002. This is the 12th team he’s taken to the state tournament. The Irish have reached four straight state finals (last year’s tournament was canceled).

"Growing up and watching him coach my brother and all those guys, he’s obviously had a lot of influence on me," Cam Joyce said. "But my respect changed for him when I got into college coaching, and then it went to another level when I became the head coach at St. Ignatius."

"It’s an awesome feeling to get share this moment with him."