For the first time, Skaneateles girls basketball coach Jill Blasi led a team against the school that is her alma mater, and it didn’t work out.
The Lakers, frustrated by foul trouble to its key players and unable to sustain a run, fell to Bishop Ludden 54-42 Tuesday night in its first game in 13 days.
What added to the game’s allure was the fact that Blasi not only attended Ludden, but was its head coach until her departure in 2010, so she knew all of the players on the other side.
But the Lakers, perhaps rusty from its long layoff, allowed the Gaelic Knights to gain immediate control with an opening 10-2 run, and never could catch up.
Every time Skaneateles did make a push, as it did late in the first half when it closed within 27-21, Ludden would answer, especially Kayla Kibling, who kept hitting from the outside until she finished with a game-high 21 points.
For her part, Lakers sophomore Joanna Dobrovosky managed 14 points, but foul trouble kept her on the bench for long periods of time, and though Elizabeth Lane had 10 points and Emily Call added eight points, Skaneateles could not catch up.
Still at home Thursday night, Skaneateles met Jordan-Elbridge and could not turn it around, falling to the Eagles 50-30.
What was a close contest broke up in the second quarter, when J-E went on a 16-3 run, fueled by Grace Dungey, who put up a career-best 22 points and added 10 rebounds.
Any Laker comeback got thwarted because of Eagles star Molly Hourigan. The Holy Cross-bound senior had a triple-double, blocking 11 shots to go with 20 rebounds and 15 points. No Skaneateles player had more than the six points put up by Call, with Lane and Jackie Leslie adding five points apiece.
Now the 5-6 Lakers face a pivotal week where it visits Bishop Grimes on Tuesday and hosts Hannibal on Jan. 20, needing some wins to inch closer to a Section III Class B playoff be
