The Saint Patrick Shamrocks kept their goal of a 20-win regular season alive by sweeping a pair of games by decisive margins last weekend. The Shamrocks went up to Mundelein and defeated Carmel 64-38 on Friday, then bounced back the next evening to defeat Niles West at home by a score of 65-41. Saint Patrick is now 19-5 on the season, and they are 11-2 in their last 13 games.

The Shamrocks started slowly at Carmel on Friday night, but they held an 8-7 lead after one period. In the second quarter the Shamrocks got 10 points from guard Sam Maniscalco as they built a 23-13 halftime advantage. In the third quarter sophomore Josh Whitaker picked up where Maniscalco left off. Whitaker scored eight points in the third as the Shamrocks blew the game wide open, outscoring the Corsairs 20-7 and opening a 24-point lead at 44-20. The Shamrocks held on for a 64-38 victory. Maniscalco lead all scorers with 18 points and dished out 10 assists. Mike Giller was the only other Shamrock to reach double figures with 11 points, but the Shamrocks showed some depth with 10 different players scoring in the game.

On Saturday night the Shamrocks hosted the Wolves of Niles West in a non-conference game. Saint Patrick used an 11-0 first quarter run, including a pair of three-point plays by Maniscalco on drives to the basket, to open an 18-7 advantage after one quarter, and they never let Niles West into the game. The Wolves got as close as seven points in the second quarter, but the Shamrocks finished the half with a 15-6 run that gave the a 35-19 lead at the half. Niles West would never get the lead below 13 in the second half as the Shamrocks demonstrated their ability to finish a game in the second half. Maniscalco finished the game with a game-high 26 points, despite shooting only two of seven from three-point range. With his outside shot a little bit off, Maniscalco took the ball to the basket, connecting on seven of nine two-point attempts and getting to the line, where he made six of seven free throws. David Campbell and Ed O’Callaghan each had eight points for the Shamrocks, while Mike Giller and Jimmy Larkin had solid games. Giller had six points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, and Larkin scored five points to go with his three rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Next weekend the Shamrocks wrap-up the regular season when they host Saint Viator on Friday noght. The Shamrocks then head into the IHSA playoffs, where they are seeded third in the Skokie (Niles West) Sectional. Saint Patrick will begin the playoffs by hosting the Chicago (Saint Patrick) Regional. The Shamrocks will take on the winner of the Schurz versus Roosevelt game on February 28. The regional championship game will then pit the winner of that game against the winner of the Steinmetz/Evanston Township game on Friday March 3. The Shamrocks are looking to capture their fourth consecutive IHSA Regional Championship and sixth in the last seven years under Head Coach Mike Bailey.