With an Italian-born mother and American-born father, Nico Mannion is fluent in both English and Italian. But he's not sure if there’s a direct Italian translation for “Bear Down." "I don’t think there’s a translation,” he said. "I’ll get back to you on that one.”
Mannion, who just led Phoenix Pinnacle High School to its second straight 6A state basketball championship, will soon be headed to Tucson, where “Bear Down” has been the rallying cry for nearly a century. The 17-year-old is the nation’s No. 1 rated point guard and has committed to play for the Arizona Wildcats in the 2019-20 season.
