Nardi Gets Hot In The End
Bergen Catholic fell to St. Patrick 68-60 in the nightcap of Thursday’s Prime Time Shootout. Memphis signee Sean Banks was the game’s high scorer with 34 points. But, St. Patrick’s Michael Nardi heated up when it counted most and finished with 28 of his own.
Basically, the two stars traded places at the half.
In the first 16 minutes Banks couldn’t miss. He seemed to be playing in a controlled scoring frenzy. He was faster, more athletic and more determined than anyone on the court in the first half of this game.
In contrast, Nardi made his first shot of the game and then went pretty cold. It wouldn’t be until the 4th quarter that his scoring touch would truly revisit him.
Through three quarters, Banks had posted 25 points and it looked like there would be no stopping him. And then it happened. He forced a shot, and then rushed another. All of the sudden the game started to tighten up and he could have been thinking that Bergen needed him to score. He was right, but while he was cooling off, Nardi was getting red hot.
The Villanova-bound guard drilled a pair of big fourth quarter 3-pointers. When he finally harnessed his pistol, he scored 15 fourth quarter points. He was clutch from behind the arc and equally deadly at the line down the stretch.
Two good basketball teams led by a pair of good players. That’s all you can ask for.