No. 10 St. Patrick Crushes Notre Dame 57-26 in Heated Rivalry Playoff Matchup

St. Patrick dominated longtime rival Notre Dame 57-26 Wednesday night in a Class 4A regional semifinal that showcased one of Illinois high school basketball’s most intense rivalries, according to game reports.

The 10th-ranked Shamrocks (26-4) controlled the contest from the opening tip at New Trier’s gymnasium in Winnetka, holding the Dons without a field goal for the first 11 minutes and 30 seconds of the game. St. Patrick led 32-7 at halftime and extended their advantage to 42-9 midway through the third quarter, triggering a running clock for the remainder of the lopsided affair.

“For two weeks at school all anyone wanted to talk about was playing Notre Dame in the first round of the playoffs,” St. Patrick senior RJ McPartlin said after the victory. “It was exciting.”

The matchup drew packed student sections from both schools, creating an electric atmosphere despite the one-sided score. St. Patrick coach Bailey, who reached his 700th career win this season and has led the program since 1994, praised his team’s consistent approach.

“I don’t remember a game against Notre Dame this lopsided in a while,” Bailey said. “But this team has done this all year. They’ve been the same team for every game. There are no highs or lows. We don’t play any differently whether it is Notre Dame or Curie. We play our style of ball.”

McPartlin paced the Shamrocks with 14 points and six rebounds, while senior Maurice Neeley contributed 13 points and four rebounds. Senior Joseph Costanzo added 12 points in what marked a significant moment for the three-year varsity player who missed substantial time last season due to a football injury sustained during his junior year.

“I missed a lot last year, and I put a lot of hard work in to come back from that injury, and it all paid off,” Costanzo said. “I’ve had so much fun this season playing with these guys.”

Notre Dame (14-17) struggled against St. Patrick’s defensive pressure throughout the contest. The Dons were led by 6-foot-3 freshman Emran Alispahic, who scored 14 points, and senior Carmen Meccia, who contributed six points and five rebounds.

“[Notre Dame] just had trouble with the pressure of it all,” McPartlin explained. “We did a good job staying on the ball no matter where it went.”

The victory advances St. Patrick to Friday’s regional final, where they will likely face No. 12 New Trier at the same Winnetka venue. The Shamrocks, who reached the Class 3A state finals last season, face what McPartlin acknowledged will be a challenging playoff path.

“That is going to be a rough game here at their place,” McPartlin said of the upcoming matchup. “But we are experienced with the pressure and now we have a feel for the court. Hopefully we can come out on top.”

Neeley emphasized his team’s comfort level in high-pressure situations, crediting their experience in marquee matchups.

“To see the student sections going at it is always fun,” Neeley said. “St. Pat’s and Notre Dame is the best rivalry in the country in my opinion. We are always ready for these big-time games and big-time crowds. We are used to playing in games like this, so it didn’t affect us as much as Notre Dame.”

The Illinois High School Association playoff brackets featured hundreds of regional semifinal games, but the St. Patrick-Notre Dame rivalry matchup stood out as one of the most anticipated contests in the opening round of the Class 4A tournament.