The Saint Patrick basketball team opened the 2006 portion of their schedule by hosting Saint Laurence on January 3. Sam Maniscalco scored a game-high 23 points as the Shamrocks defeated the Vikings 61-49 to run their record to 9-3 on the season.

The Shamrocks jumped all over the Vikings, opening a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes of play as Maniscalco, Jimmy Larkin, and Michael Giller all hit three-point shots. The Vikings responded with a 16-3 run to take a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was close, with seven lead changes and neither team establishing a lead bigger than four points. The Shamrocks scored the last six points of the half on lay-ups by Maniscalco, Giller and Josh Whitaker to take a 28-24 lead into the break.

The third quarter was similar to the second as neither team could establish control. Maniscalco hit a pair of free throws to give the Shamrocks a 30-24 lead early, but that was as big a lead as they could forge. The Vikings fought back to tie the game at 36, and the teams headed into the fourth quarter tied at 38. Saint Laurence scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Saint Patrick answered with a 17-2 run that put the game away. Michael Fahey hit a pair of three-pointers to key the run, while Giller and Maniscalco each added a three-pointer of their own.

For the game Saint Patrick connected on nine of 19 three point shots with Fahey going a perfect three for three from three-point range, and recorded three steals in 18 minutes off the bench. Maniscalco hit three three-pointers on his way to 23 points, and he added five assists. Giller had 10 points and three steals, while Ed O’Callaghan pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and chipped in with six points. Sophomore Josh Whitaker contributed six points and five rebounds.

After 10 days off, the Shamrocks return to action on January 13 when they host the Corsairs of Carmel in an East Suburban Catholic Conference match-up at 7:30 pm.