Posted
March 18, 2026
Q&A WITH COACH FLAN
In his three decades leading St. Edward Basketball, Head Coach Eric Flannery ’90 has seen just about everything: close losses, winning streaks, adversity, and championship runs—including two state titles and 12 trips to the Final Four. Along the way, he’s helped shape generations of young men.
As the Eagles prepare for their Final Four appearance in Dayton this weekend, he reflects on the journey—and on a group that stands out for reasons that go well beyond basketball.
What sets this team apart?
Every team is different—that’s half the fun of coaching.
This year, we’re a relatively young group. We only have three seniors. But this team is special, and you see it in moments that have nothing to do with basketball.
They’ve organized team service projects on their own all year—going to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, building beds with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, and more—without anyone asking them to. You can’t script that. That’s just who they are.
When Cole Arbogast ’27 went down with his shoulder injury, he never stepped away. He’s at everything—doing whatever he can to help, still fully invested. And the team has matched that, making sure he’s part of it every step of the way.
And then you see it with someone like Jaden Johnson ’29. A freshman stepping into varsity could feel out of place—but they didn’t just bring him along. They embraced him. Made sure he felt like he belonged from day one.
Those are the moments that stay with you.
That’s what sets them apart. Who they are off the court shows up in how they play on it.
As a coach, you always want success for your teams—that’s part of it. But this year, I’ve never wanted it more, because of who these kids are.
There’s a lot of talk about the brotherhood of this team. Where does that show up?
Everywhere.
It’s across the entire team—that’s what makes it real. Everybody is part of it. There’s no separation—no divide between starters and bench. Everybody matters here, and everybody feels that.
You see it right away with the guys who don’t play a lot. They’ve embraced their role in a way that says everything about this group. We’ve got what they call the “Bench Mob,” and those guys bring a ton of energy. They’re into every possession, they’ve got their own chants for free throws and big moments, and they’re constantly lifting their teammates up. When something good happens, they’re the first ones on their feet.
And that doesn’t just happen on its own. It’s modeled.
Our captains—J.T. Kelsheimer ’26, Bryan Vlosich ’26, and Zymir Knox ’26—and equipment manager Jack Barnes ’26 set the tone every day.
They’re all different, which is what makes it work. J.T. is quiet and steady. Bryan leads by example, but he’s not afraid to speak up. Zymir connects with everybody in his own way. And Jack is right there in it—bringing energy, keeping things together, making sure nobody gets overlooked.
The younger guys don’t just see that—they feel it. And it carries through the whole group.
You see it in the little things. Before games, they gather for prayer—completely on their own. I stay out of it. That’s theirs.
They spend time together off the court—team dinners, watching games, just being around each other. Not because they have to. Because they want to.
And there’s a real care for each other. They’ve been through a lot together—big wins, tough losses—but more than anything, they genuinely look out for one another.
They compete—don’t get me wrong. Practice is competitive. They’re fighting for playing time.
But it’s like real brothers. They push each other. They challenge each other.
And at the end of the day, nobody walks out of that gym alone.
What’s something this team has done that surprised you?
Honestly, they’ve pushed me.
Every day before practice, we meet in my office. And it’s not much of an office—it’s small, it’s cramped, it doesn’t smell great—and somehow we’ve got 20 guys packed in there, sitting on the floor, leaning against the walls, just trying to fit.
We do something I call “Mind Candy.” It’s nothing complicated—just a quote. Something to think about. Something that connects to life more than basketball.
We’ll write it down, talk about it for a few minutes—what it means, how it applies, where they’re at. It’s usually one of my favorite parts of the day.
Normally, I wait until fall sports are over and the full team is together to start it.
This year was different.
Before the team even fully came together, Bryan Vlosich had already gone out and bought notebooks for everyone. He came to me and basically said, “Coach, why aren’t we doing this yet?”
That caught me off guard. Because this is something you usually have to push with high school kids. Usually, I’m the one trying to get them to buy in.
With this group, they wanted it. They were asking for it.
And that tells you a lot—not just about how invested they are in basketball, but how invested they are in growing as teammates and as people.
Some people have called this team an underdog. Do you see it that way?
Maybe on paper. We’re not the biggest team. We’re not the fastest. We might not always look the part when you line us up next to the competition.
But this group has never been about that.
The guys came up with the theme this season—Rise Above.
It’s based on that story about the eagle and the crow. The crow keeps bothering the eagle, trying to distract it, pecking at it, getting in the way. And the eagle doesn’t fight it. It doesn’t waste energy on it. It just keeps climbing—higher and higher in the sky—until it gets to a point where the crow can’t keep up, and it falls away.
That’s how we’ve approached things. Just keep doing our job. Keep climbing.
What does it take to win a state championship?
At this level, nothing guarantees a win. Everybody’s good. Everybody’s prepared.
What separates teams is belief—belief that you can do it, and belief in each other. And then there’s the willingness to go take it.
Not waiting for it. Not hoping for it.
Going to get it.
That’s a mentality—a very St. Ed’s mentality.
There’s a reason this program has been able to get to so many Final Fours over the years. We’ve had teams with more talent, and teams with less talent—but the constant is that belief.
This group has it.
They believe in what we’re doing—and more importantly, they believe in each other.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Roll Birds!
The Eagles will play Cincinnati Princeton in the OHSAA Division I State Semifinal at Wright State University on Saturday, March 21, at 5:30 p.m. If they advance, they will play for the Championship title at the University of Dayton on Sunday, March 22, at 3:15 p.m. Click here for ticket and streaming information.
