MOUNT GREENWOOD — The rivalry between Brother Rice High School and Leo High School often divides families.
It's common for graduates of Brother Rice, at 10001 S. Pulaski Road in Mount Greenwood, to have fathers, uncles and grandfathers who attended Leo, at 7901 S. Sangamon St. in Auburn Gresham, said Jim Casey, alumni director for Brother Rice.
"Brother Rice and Leo have enjoyed a long history of respecting each other, more so than with any other rival," Casey said Thursday.
The rivalry returns to the basketball court at 7 p.m. Friday as the Leo Lions host the Brother Rice Crusaders at St. Xavier University's Shannon Center, 3700 W. 103rd St., in Mount Greenwood.
Both schools were founded by the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, formerly known as the Irish Christian Brothers.
Leo came first, established in 1926. Thirty years later, the brothers formed Brother Rice. The expansion followed many Catholic families who moved to the southwest edge of the city seeking newer homes on more spacious lots.
As a nod of respect, Brother Rice took the colors orange and maroon. Orange pays homage to Leo, and maroon is a nod to Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., another affiliate of the Christian Brothers, Casey said.
Bill Biros, a 1964 Leo graduate, paid an undisclosed sum to bring Friday's game to St. Xavier's 3,000-seat arena. Biros knows the rivalry well, as both a former player and a Southwest Side real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in suburban Evergreen Park.
"I’m in a position in my career in which I can invest in a basketball contest that brings together generations," Biros said.
Brother Rice will host a reception in its cafeteria after the game with beverages and pizza.
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