CENTRAL NEW YORK – The Bishop Grimes girls basketball team already had plenty of good wins on its ledger even before it took the court for last Saturday’s early-season showdown against Marcellus

But by earning a 62-54 victory over the Mustangs, the Cobras proved that it was quickly growing into a title contender who could take an opponent’s best shot and still hold on.

Much of this game was tight, with little separating the teams. Where Grimes made its biggest move was in the third quarter where it held Marcellus to 10 points while stretching its slim lead to 46-39.

Even better was the way the duo of Sicilly Shaffer, with 22 points, and Aaliyah Zachery, with 19 points, matched the production of the Mustangs’ star duo of Cece Powell (23 points) and Tenly Baker (15 points) while containing everyone else on the Marcellus roster. Olivia Bitz had nine points and Riley Abernethy added eight points.

Grimes started OHSL Liberty division play last Tuesday night with a strong effort against Phoenix resulting in a 53-44 victory.

All through the first half the Cobras’ quick, relentless pressure forced Firebirds turnovers, while on the other end Grimes built a 28-15 advantage and then stretched it out to 47-25 by the end of the third period.

Phoenix did surge late, but all it did was shrink the margin. Zachery led the offense with 14 points, with Shaffer adding 13 points and Bitz putting up nine points.

Grimes then beat its third large-school team this winter when it edged Nottingham 39-36 on Thursday night, steadily overcoming an early 12-4 deficit with defense and key stops before it moved out in front in the fourth quarter.

And the Cobras did this with just three players netting baskets. Most of them went to Shaffer, who had 18 points, and Kierra Baxter, who got 15 points as Zachery earned the other six points.

Fayetteville-Manlius had started 0-2 but then broke into the win column last Tuesday defeating Chittenango 61-38, the outcome only made closer by a lopsided fourth quarter in the Bears’ favor.

Before that, the Hornets built a 56-19 lead in the first three periods led by Lydia Land-Steves, who poured in 23 points. She got help from Jane Ryan, who had 13 points, and Taylor Novack, who put in 11 points.

Without much time to rest, F-M had to turn around Thursday night and face Liverpool, which had returned most of its roster from reaching the state Class AAA championship game a season ago.

The Hornets were overwhelmed in a 72-27 defeat, only netting a handful of baskets after the first quarter and outscored 37-6 in the second half. Land-Steves had nine points and Novack seven points as Liverpool got double-doubles from A’briyah Cunningham (19 points, 10 rebounds, seven steals) and Gia Kinsey (11 points, 10 rebounds), plus 13 points from Angie Kohler.