High School Boys Basketball: PJP2's Amazing Season Continues With State Tourney Invite

With its inexplicable ability to escape from desperate situations and an uncanny knack for happy endings, it would be easy to mistake the Pope John Paul II boys basketball season for one of the many drama club productions in the area.

Unlike Dorothy’s trip in which she finds her way back home, the Golden Panthers' journey down the yellow brick road has led them to the PIAA state tournament. There, they will have to defeat first-round quarry Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter, following their fairytale-esque double overtime win over Bishop Shanahan, 73-65.

In the latest chapter of the story of the team with arguably the most heart in District One, PJP2 needed a little help from the wizard, played by Mike Mansur, as he came off the bench and magically sparked the Golden Panthers to a 14-4 run midway through the first half to help overcome another slow start and give PJP2 its first lead of the game at 18-15.

Mansur posted a game high 18 points, connecting on four field goals, but more importantly converted 10-of-16 from the line as he was a force underneath with 14 rebounds, seven of them coming on the offensive end.

The Eagles (15-11) wouldn’t go quietly into the night as they scored eight straight points to again put PJP2 in a hole—before Paul Mills converted two free throws. That set the stage for David Cotellese to hit a three ball with less than two seconds left in the half to tie the game at 26.

As Miss Gale had on her way to the Emerald City, Pope John Paul II utilized the efforts of a trio of heroes that helped fend off enemies along the way and protected the area otherwise known as the paint.

“This is amazing,” said Mike Mansur. “I just felt really good all game. We knew we needed to be strong on the boards and get second chances. Our plan in the second half was to attack the basket and make them make a play or foul us."

P, B and J, as head coach Jack Flanagan affectionately calls his senior core, led the way again Saturday as the Golden Panthers got 17 points and 11 rebounds from P (Paul Mills), five field goals and 14 points from B (Billy Malescio) and two huge 3-pointers and 10 points overall from J (Jeff Evans).

In a change in the script, it was the aggressive inside style that Flanagan and his staff employed in the second half that helped the Golden Panthers force the Eagles into the penalty early in the third period.

It would prove to be a big factor down the stretch as senior Mike Ibarguen, one of Shanahan’s best scoring threats, fouled out in regulation.

“We are going to states,” said Flanagan. “This was the prize. We wanted this opportunity since the season started. This is our NCAA tournament. We wanted to pressure them inside, which worked out great as one of their best players fouled out in regulation.”

Just as Dorothy had to click her heels three times to realize her dream of getting back home, the third time was truly the charm for PJP2, as the Golden Panthers had a four-point and five-point lead with less than a minute to play of regulation and the first overtime period, respectively, but could not close out the Eagles.

Shanahan senior Marco Arias knocked down a bomb from beyond the arc, his second of the game, with eight seconds left in overtime to send the game into another four-minute tornado of action.

With 1:50 left in the second extra period, Paul Mills, who struggled early from the line, converted two crucial free throws to post the Golden Panthers to a six-point and two-possession lead.

“This is what we have worked for,” said Mills. “You cannot say enough about the job Mike (Mansur) did today. Twice, I had to get out his way; he was going for a board right over top of me.”

Overall, the Golden panthers shot a little more than 50 percent from the charity stripe 25-of -45, which was largely responsible for the game even making it into overtime.

“This is the first double overtime I have ever been in,” said Billy Malescio. “This is why I love this game; this is fun when everything is on the line. Mike did an awesome job today—he was a beast inside, and his rebounds gave us a ton of second chances.”

Bishop Shanahan (65) – Redmond 6 4-8 16, Henshey 6 0-6 12, Ibarguen 4 0-0 8, Sam 0 2-4 2, Conrad 4 2-3 11, Seeney 3 3-5 9, Arias 2 1-2 7. Totals 25 12-28 65.

Pope John Paul II (73) – Cotellese 3 2-4 10, Evans 4 0-0 10, Gribb 1 0-2 2, Mills 4 9-13 17, Malescio 5 4-10 14, Mansur 4 10-16 18, Mahoney 0 0-0 0, Stinson 1 0-0 2, Taylor 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 25-45 73.

Bishop Shanahan             15  11  12  14  7  6 – 65

Pope John Paul II             15  11  17  9  7  14 – 73

3-point goals: Arias 2, Evans 2, Cotellese 2, Conrad.

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