The Saint Patrick Shamrocks opened the 2006-2007 season by winning two of three games in their annual Max Kurland Thanksgiving Tournament. The Shamrocks soundly defeated Streamwood, and North Chicago before falling 45-35 to Fenwick on Saturday night. Senior guard, Sam Maniscalco was outstanding for the Shamrocks. Maniscalco averaged over 22 points per game, shot 54% from the floor and dished out 12 assists for the weekend. Edmond O’Callaghan and David Campbell joined Maniscalco on the All-Tournament Team for Saint Patrick.

In the opener, the Shamrocks started slowly, but pulled away with a 30-8 run to close the first half in a 69-36 win over the Sabres of Streamwood High School. Maniscalco paced the Shamrocks with a game high 22 points, while shooting 80% from the floor, to go with four assists, four rebounds and four steals. Jerome Robinson came off the bench to pour in 14 points, and O’Callaghan added nine points and eight rebounds.

On Friday night Saint Patrick opened the game with a 14-2 run, and they never looked back in a 72-51 victory over North Chicago. Maniscalco starred for the Shamrocks again, scoring a game-high 30 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the floor, and handing out six assists. O’Callaghan had another solid effort with 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Robinson chipped in with nine points.

Saturday night, the Shamrocks faced the Friars of Fenwick. With a capacity crowd on hand, the teams went back and forth to start the game, and a Maniscalco three-point play tied the game at eight with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter. The Friars then put together an 11-2 run and finished the first quarter ahead by a score of 19-10. The Shamrocks chipped away at the lead, eventually tying the game at 28 on Josh Whitaker’s three-point play with 2:52 left in the third quarter, but they never were able to regain the lead. The Friars finished with a 13-5 run for a 45-35 victory. The difference in the game was the Shamrocks’ inability to connect from three-point range. After making 39% of their three-point shots in the first two games, the Shamrocks made only one of 14 shots (7%) from beyond the arc in the championship game. Maniscalco paced Saint Patrick with a game-high 15 points, and Robinson provided a spark off the bench with eight points.

The Shamrocks begin East Suburban Catholic Conference play this weekend, as they host the Lions of Saint Viator on Friday, December 1. Next Tuesday night Saint Patrick will be the site of a North versus South showdown as the Shamrocks play host to Brother Rice.