St. Patrick Beats Carmel 70-43

SHAMROCKS STAY IN ESCC RACE WITH HOME WIN OVER CARMEL

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

One of the goals for varsity basketball team at St Patrick is to win East Suburban Catholic Conference basketball championship in its final season. The Shamrocks (21-4, 5-1) moved a step closer with 70-43 win over Carmel (9-18, 2-6) last Friday night. 

“Our name would be carved in gold but it would be a co-championship,” senior RJ McPartlin said after the latest victory. “It would be a tremendous thing.”

The ESCC will merge with the Catholic League next school year in basketball.

Top ranked Benet (26-1, 6-0) is going for fourth straight title, and Redwings stayed in sole possession of first place with a victory over Notre Dame. Marist (23-4,4-1) and St.Viator (18-8, 4-2) stayed alive for share of excellence in ESCC with wins as well.

“It would mean the world to me and our program to win the league in its final season,” St Patrick head coach Mike Bailey admitted. “I love the ESCC. The schools are all very similar. We have two road games left. We are treating next two games as championship week. We have to take care of business.”

There was very little drama on Friday against Carmel who has one of the state's best football players sophomore inebacker Jameer Myles on its roster. Shamrocks jumped out to a 13-2 lead before putting the Corsairs away in the third quarter by scoring 27 points. In fact the only issue for St Patrick was Shamrocks played critical conference clash without Joey Costanzo who was sick. 

Maurice Neeley led Shamrocks with 19 points while Omar Ajanovic added 17 points.

Ethan Matz led Carmel with 10 points.

Neeley is very underrated player but plays important role for St Pat's. The senior guard is point man on its defense while starting the offense for Shamrocks.

“As important as the other players are on our team he is the glue for our team,” Bailey said. “He means so much to our basketball team. He does a little bit of everything for us.”

“He is tough as nails,” McPartlin stated. ‘He is not a selfish guy. He’s a good teammate.”

St Patrick closed the weekend with a 74-42 win over Jones College Prep from Chicago PublicLeague. The victory was a milestone for Bailey who won his 700th varsity basketball game. Bailey has now won 604 games with Shamrocks in 32 seasons.

“It's a nice accomplishment,” Bailey said. “For me it is always about having great assistant coaches and players. Very blessed to have great families and basketball players in our program at St Patrick. I have a very supportive administration at St Patrick. The most important thing for me is our students and basketball players.”

The state basketball playoff pairings will released this Friday. Shamrocks will be in Class 4A at Loyola sectional with defending Class 3A champion DePaul Prep, Evanston, and Loyola. St Pat's is seeking third straight trip to the Elite Eight after finishing third in Class 3A last season.

St. Patrick Wins Opener 70-28 over Dyett

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY 

If the Shamrocks basketball team is to make back-to-back trips to State Farm Center in Champaign they will need a healthy R.J. McPartlin. McPartlin, a 6’7’ senior, might be one of the best basketball players fans and coaches have seen the last two years if weren’t for injuries. McPartlin has been on the varsity basketball team since freshman year but unfortunately has been plagued by the injury bug.

“He started freshman year for us and scored ten points in his first game,” St. Patrick head basketball coach Mike Bailey said. “His career has taken off for us from there. He is one of our most important players. Unfortunately, he has been hurt the last two years. He is tough kid always willing to play through injuries.”

“I am worried about getting hurt again,” McPartlin admitted. “It feels great to be out there again. Its the best feeling in the world. I love to get on the court and play.”

McPartlin began his senior season by scoring 10 points in the season opening win over defending Class 2A champion Dyett, 70-28. Gael Guitterez added 13 points while Maurice Neeley contributed with 13 points as well. Omar Ajanovic who filled in for McPartlin as a sophomore scored 12 points on Monday night.

Charles Treadwell led Eagles with 11 points as Dyett couldn't solve St Patrick’s matchup zone falling behind 20-6 to start the season and never recovered. Shamrocks led 46-11 at the half as game finished with running clock while Bailey emptied his bench for final quarter.

“It was a good start tonight,” Bailey said after watching his defense allow only ten baskets.

“That was amazing defense,” McPartlin said after the win on opening night.

Naperville North began the night on Kurland Court by beating Payton 58-45 as guard Miles Okyne score 28 poihts.

Last year, McPartlin overcame a torn labrum in his shoulder after suffering broken nose as a sophomore. McPartlin played in 20 contests last season and averaged eight points a game to help the Shamrocks advance to state basketball finals for first time in school history.

McPartlin is the only starter back from a 29-win team that finished third in Class 3A tournament last season after losing 48-33 to Brother Rice (31-7) in semifinals.

“This team knows how to win,” Bailey said during preseason practices. “This team expects to win. They are very motivated to get back downstate.”

The Shamrocks were disappointed they didn't advance to championship game against DePaul Prep (33-4) and coach Tom Kleinschmidt who are seeking to win the state basketball title for fourth straight season.

“It was heartbreaking to not play for state championship,” McPartlin stated after season opening win on Monday night. “We played a bad fourth quarter against Brother Rice. Getting third place in the state means a lot to us. Only eight teams in the state get to finish the season with a win. We had a special group of guys. I couldn't end the season on a loss.”

St. Pat's shook off the disappointment of losing by beating Chatham Glenwood 50-28 in tilt for third place.

The Rams are trying to become the first high school basketball team in Illinois since Simeon and Peoria Manual to win four straight banners. Kleinschmidt’s club began its season on Monday night in the Battle of Bridges tournament at Lane with a 69-50 win over Niles North.

The Shamrocks will play Payton and Naperville North before finishing play in Kurland tournament on Saturday night.

Bailey will count on four new starters including Ajanovic, Neeley, football player Joey Costanzo, and junior Steve Quach.

Players and coaches claim they don't care or pay attention to rankings. Despite its recent success with back-to-back appearances in the Elite Eight and over 1,000 wins since 1959 with Bailey and Max Kurland, the Shamrocks surprisingly will start season unranked.

“The coaching staff told us not to worry about the rankings,” McPartlin said.
”We finished third in the state in 3A. We deserve to be ranked based on how we finished last year.”

St. Pat's is hoping to at least advance for a third straight basketball season to the Elite Eight.