The Saint Patrick Shamrocks hosted two of the top teams in the East Suburban Catholic Conference last weekend. Mike Fahey came off the bench with a huge fourth quarter to lead the Shamrocks to victory over Marist on Friday night, but the Shamrocks fell to the state’s second-ranked team, Saint Joseph, on Saturday. Saint Patrick is now 17-5 on the season.

The Shamrocks and the Redhawks of Marist played a fast paced first period that saw plenty of momentum shifts. Marist got out to a 7-4 lead before the Shamrocks answered with a 10-3 run, keyed by a pair of Jimmy Larkin three-pointers. Marist responded with a 7-0 run, but a Sam Maniscalco three and an Ed O’Callaghan dunk gave the Shamrocks a 19-17 lead after one. The Shamrocks held the lead throughout the second quarter as O’Callaghan scored a pair of tip-ins and pulled down four rebounds in the quarter. David Campbell provided a spark off the bench in the second quarter, hitting a three-pointer and assisting on a Maniscalco three as the Shamrocks went into the half with a 31-27 lead. Saint Patrick extended the lead to eight when Maniscalco hit a three-pointer for a 37-29 advantage with 5:40 left in the third quarter. Marist went on an 18-3 run over the next eight and a half minutes, building a 47-40 lead with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Larkin hit O’Callaghan for a layup, and Maniscalco knocked down another three to get the Shamrocks going, then a Maniscalco fast break bucket tied the game at 47 with 3:43 left to play.

The teams were tied at 49 with two minutes left to go. The stage was set for Fahey. Fahey drilled a three-pointer to give the Shamrocks the lead, then following two Redhawk free throws, he buried another three to make it 55-51 Saint Patrick with 1:04 remaining. Fahey put the game away with a pair of free throws with eight seconds on the clock, giving him eight points three rebounds and a steal in the final quarter. Maniscalco lead all scorers with 17 points. O’Callaghan nearly missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Larkin pitched in with 11 points and two steals.

On Saturday night the Shamrocks hosted the #2 team in the state, when Coach Gene Pingatore brought the Chargers of Saint Joseph into Chicago. The Chargers opened a 16-3 lead in the first quarter before the Shamrocks fought back. Maniscalco’s three-point play made it 18-11 at the end of one. The Shamrocks scored the first seven points of the second quarter and tied the game at 18 on a Maniscalco three pointer. Saint Joseph re-claimed the lead and held it the rest of the half, taking a 30-27 lead into the break. The Chargers used a 19-4 run to pull away, then fought off a pair of desperate Shamrock rallies to put the game away 68-57. The Chargers were dominant inside, shooting 74% from the floor in the second half, 63% for the game and out rebounded Saint Patrick 30-17. Four Shamrocks scored in double figures: Maniscalco 16, O’Callaghan 12, Fahey 11, and Larkin 10.