ONONDAGA COUNTY – Hot streaks and milestones were fresh on the minds of the Marcellus and Bishop Ludden girls basketball teams as they went head-to-head Saturday afternoon.
What was most important, though, was that the Mustangs displayed just how much it had grown in a span of less than two months as it produced an impressive 50-36 victory over the state Class A no. 9-ranked Gaelic Knights.
When these same two teams had first met in early December, Ludden dominated from start to finish in a 65-41 romp. And it entered this game having won six in a row.
But Marcellus was on a roll, too, starting with its big 62-57 win over Westhill on Jan. 19 and continuing through two more wins that led to a superb all-around peformance against the Gaelic Knights.
Unlike that initial meeting, Ludden didn’t jump well out in front. Instead, the two sides traded occasional baskets and defensive stops through a close first half and the Mustangs led 25-24 at the break.
Then came the third quarter, where Marcellus limited the Gaelic Knights to just five points and pulled clear, never to get caught.
Emma MacLachlan worked her total to 17 points, with Katie MacLachlan getting 15 points and Cece Powell earning 14 points. On Ludden’s side, Amraah Streiff had 13 points and nine rebounds, but no one else had more than Bridget Dunham’s total of seven points.
Before all this, Marcellus had to pull out a 48-46 decision over Syracuse Academy of Science last Tuesday where the Atoms had used a 19-9 push through the third quarter to take the lead.
But the Mustangs, trailing 37-33, turned it around late, inching out in front and hanging on. Emma MacLachlan and Katie MacLachlan both had 12 points, with Powell getting eight points and Bailey Ellis adding seven points.
Thursday’s game against Altmar-Parish-Williamstown proved special for reasons that went beyond the Mustangs having its most lopsided win of the season, a 90-29 decision over the Rebels.
Midway through the second quarter, a 3-pointer by Katie MacLachlan gave her 1,000 career points, an occasion celebrated with signs and ballons as the game was halted to honor her.
For the night, MacLachlan had 19 points, behind Powell, whose 23 points included four 3-pointers. Bryn Goldsworthy stepped up to earn a career-best 15 points and Hannah Rogalia gained 14 points
When Ludden visited Liverpool last Monday, it was the team’s fifth game in 10 days, and the last of them was the epochal 51-50 win over Bishop Grimes claimed on Elizabeth Gaughan’s half-court shot at the buzzer.
Instead of a letdown, though, Ludden instead lifted up its level of play as the trio of Streiff, Dunham and Kaitlyn Kibling all stood out in a 68-57 win over the Warriors.
Playing at a brisk pace from the outset, the Gaelic Knights went out in front and took control when it outscored Liverpool 19-8 in the second quarter.
Already up 39-25 at the break, Ludden added to its margin before a late Liverpool surge where Naveah Wingate worked her total to 28 points as Giana Washington had 11 points.
Kibling excelled in every phase of the game with her 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Streiff added a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Dunham added 15 points and seven rebounds.
