Sports

Cardinal Mooney wins fifth straight game with 66-51 win over East Liverpool

By Mike Brown

January 6, 2024 7:53 AM

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney’s Eddie Nieves (1) prepares to inbound the basketball to teammate Nico Genova (4) as an official, left, looks on during Friday night’s varsity boys’ basketball game at East Liverpool. Mooney won the game, 66-51. Mike Brown/Mahoning Matters

EAST LIVERPOOL — Youngstown Cardinal Mooney’s boys’ basketball team won its fifth straight game Friday night with an impressive 66-51 non-league win over host East Liverpool.

“I do feel good (about the five-game winning streak),” said Cardinal Mooney head coach Carey Palermo. “We lost some close games early but I think it made us a better team.”

Ashton O’Brien leads Cardinal Mooney in scoring

Ashton O’Brien had a big night for the Cardinals with 21 points. Nick Pregibon also reached double digits for Mooney with 15 points. Jibri Carter tossed in 11 points and Rocco Turner had nine for the winners.

“Ashton (O’Brien) and Nick Pregibon got hot there in the second quarter and Jibri Carter does a great job all of the time running our team,” said Palermo. “A guy that doesn’t get a whole lot of notoriety is Will Desmond. He probably only had two points but he probably had seven or eight rebounds.”

Mooney raised its record to 7-3 with the impressive triumph against a strong East Liverpool team, which was the No. 2-ranked squad in this week’s mahoningmatters.com Super 7 poll. The Potters are now 8-2 on the campaign.

Mooney trailed 13-12 after one quarter but outscored the Potters 54-38 over the final three quarters while forcing many turnovers out of the hosts.

“I thought we played good besides that little stretch (in the second quarter) when we turned the basketball over, but that’s what they (the Cardinals) do — they turn everyone over,” praised East Liverpool head coach Nate Conley.

East Liverpool led by Preston Kerr with 15 points

East Liverpool’s top scorer in the game was Preston Kerr who tossed in 15 points and Cohen Pease added 13. Nate Birch just missed double figures with nine points.

Cardinal Mooney’s losses this season have come to three powerful teams in Warren JFK, Austintown Fitch and Canfield who have a combined record of 22-6. JFK also defeated Akron Hoban, the defending Division I state champion, this season, while tall and talented Austintown Fitch as well as Canfield have been very strong.

What’s next for Cardinal Mooney, East Liverpool?

Mooney returns to action Tuesday evening with a road game at Youngstown East against the Golden Bears.

“We have East and that’s a conference game and they’re going to be tough and they’re going to be scrappy,” said Palermo. “It’s going to be a tough game and we’re at their place.”

Meanwhile, East Liverpool will entertain rival Steubenville Tuesday night.

“We’ve got to go and watch some film and figure out what we do and get better,” said Conley. “We’re not going to hang our heads on this.”