Ursuline hangs on to edge Mooney

February 2, 2019 at 12:10a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

With 77 seconds remaining, the Ursuline High School basketball team, leading by 12, was in a comfort zone.

The Irish’s archrival then turned up the heat, scoring the next nine points. No one in the packed Ursuline gymnasium was feeling chill then.

But in the final 28 seconds, Ursuline’s R.J. Clark sank two free throws and Vince Armeni one to seal a 69-66 victory over Cardinal Mooney on Friday night.

“They pressed us and we were careless with the ball,” Clark said of the Cardinals’ late surge.

Mooney’s comeback came after the Irish (9-9) opened the fourth quarter with a 20-9 run, erasing a one-point deficit.

“Pressing is what got us out to that 12-point lead,” said Clark, who led the Irish with 18 points.

Ursuline coach Keith Gunther said the game’s finale provided lessons.

“What got us back in the game was our full-court pressure,” Gunther said. “[We faced] a five-point [deficit] and we went to a full-face which is our guards trying to deny, trapping and running all over.

“Realistically, if we were smart, that game should have been over. But we start throwing [the ball] around and turning it over instead of relaxing and finding the open man. All of the sudden they are right back in the game.”

Armeni played an instrumental role during the Irish surge to open the final quarter, scoring seven points.

“That was definitely one of my best performances,” said Armeni, who finished with 13 points. “When the game is close and on the line, I like to think I play my best, especially in a big game like this one.”

Armeni said the Irish stayed “poised” in the final seconds.

“This year, we’re more mature,” Armeni said. “So when the game [became] close, we really didn’t panic.

“We just stayed calm and did what our coaches told us. We’re a little disappointed about turning the ball over, but we couldn’t stay disappointed.”

Daysean Harris scored 10 for the Irish and Devon Keevey nine.

For the Cardinals (7-8), Mike Pelini led with 16 points. Also scoring in double figures were Anthony Fire with 12 and Sonny Rodriguez and Pete Haas with 11 apiece.

“Devon did a heck of a job getting some boards and kind of slowing Fire down in the second half,” Gunther said. “He made him take some tough shots.

Gunther said Pelini was effective “off the dribble, shooting the ball and I thought Anthony Fire’s play around the glass, around the bucket hurt us.”

Late in the third quarter, Haas sank two free throws for a 43-38 lead.

“My guys battled their tails off,” Mooney coach Carey Palermo said. “I never have to worry about effort with those guys.

“That’s been the story for us all year. When we win, we do the little things well. When we lose, unfortunately, we don’t.”

The win gives the Irish a two-game sweep against the Cardinals. The rematch’s final quarter was a reversal of the first game. In the Irish’s overtime win at Mooney, Ursuline trailed late before roaring back to force the extra session.

“We were up seven with 1:30 to go,” Palermo said.