2025-2026 Cardinal Mooney boys basketball teams season this was a season of resilience and growth. The Cardinals faced plenty of challenges to start the season, including a 59-42 opening season loss to beaver local, where Mooney struggled to match their opponents in size and interior defense. Despite the early setback, the team showed determination as the season went on, working to build chemistry and confidence, working to build chemistry all around from seniors down to freshman under coach Carey Palermo.
As the season continued, the Cardinal began to find their rhythm. An early key victory was a 56-50 win over Boardman, where Mooney built an early lead to get over Boardman and held off several runs to secure the win. Coach Palermo praised the team’s effort and resilience, calling it a “great team win” that demonstrated the program’s ability to compete in tough situations. Later in the season the Cardinals picked up important team wins against teams like Kirtland, Girard, and Southeast, putting together a short winning streak that helped bring their record back to .500.
By the end of the 2025-2026 season, the Cardinals finished with a 121-12 record and advanced to the OHSAA tournament before being eliminated in a thriller against Poland in the district semifinal. Senior Dante Turner led the Cardinals with 16 points in the final game, while several teammates contributed throughout the season. Although the team fell short of its goal of reaching another district championship game, the Cardinals showed perseverance through ups and downs and never gave up and continued to build a foundation for future success in the Mooney Basketball program with Ford Stacy leading the way for next year’s season.
