A large hurdle for the Bishop Ludden boys basketball team was passed on Jan. 10 when it turned back Jamesville-DeWitt in a clash of Class A favorites.
Yet the Gaelic Knights knew that a lot of regular-season challenges lay ahead, including last Tuesday night’s visit to Cortland, where this time it didn’t wait to assert itself, leading most of the way as it beat the Purple Tigers 73-60.
With a 7-2 record and home-court advantage, Cortland was fired up to go after Ludden. Unlike J-D, though, the Purple Tigers had to deal with a full Ludden starting five from the outset, and that made a critical difference.
By the time the first quarter was done, the Gaelic Knights enjoyed a 24-13 lead. Still, over the game’s middle stages, it could not put Cortland away, seeing the Purple Tigers move within single digits, 51-43, by the time they reached the final period.
To hang on, Ludden needed all five of its starters to score in double figures. Jack Rauch, with 20 points, led the way, while Dan Kaigler and Ben Hackett matched each other with 15 points. Kyle Hawk stepped up for 12 points, with Zach Walser managing 11 points.
Cortland could not match that type of production, as only Sage Brown (20 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals) and Nick Craig (11 points) hit double figures, though Quinn Kennedy (nine points) and Teddy Phillips (eight points) lagged right behind.
It proved much easier for Ludden Friday night as it rolled past visiting Homer 66-46, a game decided long before the final horn as the Gaelic Knights gained a 51-22 lead by the end of the third quarter before letting the starters rest.
Kaigler had 18 points, one less than the Trojans’ top scorer, Rex Ryan, but he had far more help as 10 different Ludden players had field goals on the night. Walser managed 12 points, with Jack Rauch getting seven points. Hackett and Tim Rooney had six points apiece.
Meanwhile, Bishop Ludden’s girls basketball team faced a small crisis, but would ease out of it by week’s end.
Hannibal followed Bishop Grimes as conquerors of the Gaelic Knights, prevailing 51-46 last Monday in a game that was tight all the way. In fact, it was tied, 31-31, going to the fourth quarter, but the Warriors moved out in front and held on because it kept getting to the free-throw line.
Devin Sorrell led Hannibal, getting 14 of her 27 points from free throws, while Spencer Kenney had 11 points. Ludden lost despite 18 points from Danielle Rauch, with Nicole Granteed getting 10 of her 12 points at the foul line as Sara Hayes added 10 points.
Ludden would break that brief skid on Thursday, rolling past Jordan-Elbridge 68-34. To its credit, the Eagles stayed close in the first half and only trailed 30-22 at the break before the Gaelic Knights put it away with a 27-5 third-quarter outburst.
Granteed, with 15 points, led a well-balanced attack where Rauch, Stephanie Brazell and Olivia Trunfio nabbed 10 points apiece. O’Kane, with nine points, wasn’t far behind as Allie Wiegand and Liz DiMartino each finished with seven points. J-E saw Alexis Rouse earn 13 points and Maddie Troia put up 11 points.
J-E lost to Grimes 68-35 to start its week, as Alexis Rouse had nine points and Maddie Troia contributed seven points. All 11 Cobras players that saw action got at least two points, with Jordan Vaught (14 points) leading the way.
And in Friday’s game against Homer, the Eagles nearly broke the skid, but still fell to the Trojans 48-40 as an early 14-7 lead vanished when the Trojans outscored J-E 29-8 over the course of the next two periods. Rouse had 13 points, with Brienna Fabrize managing nine points and Leah Wright earning eight points.
