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By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Willard, Mo. — On a night when Springfield Catholic needed it most, Mike Manzardo delivered.
With explosive scorer Jake Branham out following a first-quarter ankle injury, the 6-foot-3 junior came off the bench and helped propel the Irish to a thrilling 52-49 victory over Mt. Vernon Wednesday evening.
Catholic led 10-8 late in the opening frame, when Branham went down underneath the basket after a transition play. The 6-foot-2 junior was helped back to the locker room and didn’t reappear on the bench until the third quarter.
Locked in a tight battle, the Irish players collected their thoughts … and then rallied.
“I didn’t really know what to do,” Manzardo said. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe this just happened.’ One of our best players goes out, and it was really sad. After Jake went out, I wanted to step up big and try to get any energy going for the team.”
Step up big is exactly what Manzardo did, pouring in a team-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a trio of 3-pointers. His key rebound with 20 seconds to play, followed by a pair of clutch free throws, helped thwart a late Mt. Vernon rally and seal the Catholic victory.
Irish head coach Dustin Larsen praised Manzardo’s performance.
“Mike’s been coming off the bench for us, but he’s a starter in our mind,” Larsen said. “The kid can play and do a lot of things. We like to remind him to get aggressive, play his game and look for his shot, and he had a heck of a game tonight. I’m extremely proud of him.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The Irish took a 24-16 lead into the break, with both teams forcing tempo with full-court pressure. Fouls quickly became a storyline in the frantic and physical clash.
Mt. Vernon took the first hit when 6-foot-7 senior Kyle Bushman was whistled for back-to-back fouls to start the second quarter. Already saddled with one, the standout forward was forced to the bench for the rest of the half.
While Manzardo paced the Irish in the first two quarters, the third belonged to Charlie O’Reilly and Tyson Riley.
The junior duo combined for 11 points in the quarter, as Catholic stretched its lead to a 37-26 advantage.
“That’s why we’re a team,” Larsen said. “Guys came in and guarded, rebounded and found our way, offensively. Any time you lose your point guard, it takes a little adjustment, but our guys made plays at the right times. I can’t be more proud.”
While Manzardo’s 3-pointer at the start of the fourth gave Catholic its biggest lead of the night at 14, the game was far from over.
Saddled with four fouls, Bushman rallied the ‘Neers with 9 of his team-high 15 points coming in the final frame. Catholic’s Ian Cochran also spent much of the final quarter with four.
Bushman’s final basket with 1:56 left to play tied the game at 47, but a fifth foul occurred moments later and took some of the wind out of the ‘Neers’ sails.
Mt. Vernon would receive a final opportunity to take the lead with 30 seconds to play; however, the corner 3-pointer edged off the rim and into a Manzardo’s hands.
Despite the loss, Mt. Vernon head coach Mike Ray was pleased with his team’s late comeback attempt.
“We kind of were tense and made some mistakes that we haven’t normally made for quite a while … missed free throws and unforced turnovers,” Ray said. “A large part of that goes to Springfield Catholic. I thought maybe we were just trying a little too hard. I think if we could have gotten a couple baskets to fall, everybody might have taken a deep breath. It might have been all right, but it just wasn’t meant to be tonight.”
With the victory, Springfield Catholic (22-8) advances to the state quarterfinals. The Irish will face Mountain Grove (29-1) Saturday, March 3, at Drury University. The Panthers defeated Catholic 68-65 in the Nov. 21 season opener.
Varsity final: Springfield Catholic – 52, Mt. Vernon – 49
Catholic 13 11 13 15 — 52
Mt. Vernon 10 06 10 23 — 49
Springfield Catholic scoring: Mike Manzardo – 15, Charlie O’Reilly – 10, Jake Branham – 6, Tyson Riley – 6, Ian Cochran – 4, Hunter Brown – 4, Ben Galligos – 3, Wallace Squibb – 2, Will Morrison – 2
Mt. Vernon scoring: Kyle Bushman – 15, Kelly Vaughn – 11, Ty Boswell – 10, Cale Miller – 6, Chance Fenton – 3, Mason Bailey – 3, Chase Brashears – 1
