For all the discussion of young talent on both ends when the Bishop Ludden and Bishop Grimes boys basketball teams gathered Friday night for the first of two regular-season showdowns in East Syracuse, it was a senior that would emerge as the primary figure.
Matt Rogers saved his best performance of the season for an opportune occasion, as his baskets helped push the Gaelic Knights past the Cobras 63-53.
As the season has progressed, Ludden has centered its attack around two sophomores, forward Dan Kaigler and guard Ben Hackett. Junior Cameron Littlejohn and freshman Zach Walser have also contributed plenty, too, in the Gaelic Knights’ wins.
On the other side, Bishop Grimes is pushed by its two junior stars, Jon Carnegie and Casey Evans, and both of them, along with the rest of the Cobras, were determined to bounce back after an 0-2 showing at the CBA Holiday Classic on Dec. 29-30.
With a loud, intense crowd on hand to cheer on both sides, Ludden and Grimes traded baskets throughout the first half. The Gaelic Knights kept itself in front most of the time, and took a 28-24 advantage to the break.
That margin grew to 45-36 by the end of the third quarter before Grimes made a late comeback attempt. Every time the Cobras threatened, though, Ludden answered, often with Rogers making an important basket.
Rogers, the lone senior in the Gaelic Knights’ season mark, turned in 17 points, just ahead of Kaigler and Littlejohn, who had 14 points apiece. Hackett, with 10 points, also hit double figures.
Defensively, Ludden did a superb job on Carnegie, holding him to just one field goal, something that Steve Lembo, with 16 points, and Evans, with 13 points, could not make up for. Tom Steinberg finished with eight points.
With little time to gather itself, Ludden, who moved to 6-2 with the win over Grimes, gets another big test Tuesday night when Skaneateles (6-3) visits Geddes.
