The Saint Patrick basketball team has high expectations heading into the 2006-07 campaign. The Shamrocks return several of the top players off of a team that went 22-6 last season. Since Mike Bailey replaced the legendary Max Kurland as head coach in 1993, Saint Patrick has claimed eight Illinois High School Association Regional Championships and one Sectional Championship. The Shamrocks are looking to extend their streak of consecutive Regional Championships to four this season.

Senior point guard, Sam Maniscalco is the player who makes the Shamrock offense go. Maniscalco, who has committed to play at Bradley University next season, averaged 21 points and three assists per game as a junior. In conference play, Maniscalco's 19.7 points per game average led the league.

A talented crew of returnees joins Maniscalco in the backcourt. Seniors Jack McKenna, Jimmy Larkin, and Mike Mockler provide hustle, tenacious defense and timely scoring, while junior David Campbell takes over the point guard duties when Maniscalco is out of the game.

Edmond O'Callaghan and Josh Whitaker will anchor the frontcourt for the Shamrocks. At six foot-seven, O'Callaghan provides a strong presence in the lane. O'Callaghan averaged 8.3 points per game, while shooting 59% from the floor last year. O'Callaghan also paced the Shamrocks with 48 blocks and 129 rebounds as a junior. Whitaker played over 10 minutes a game as a sophomore last year, and he has continued to improve throughout the off-season.

Saint Patrick faces a tough road this season. In addition to their traditionally strong East Suburban Catholic Conference schedule, the Shamrocks will play in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament for the first time this season. The Proviso West tournament is widely considered the top holiday basketball tournament in the state of Illinois.