SYRACUSE — All it took, for the Bishop Ludden girls basketball team, was 48 hours to transform its internal expectations into something everyone outside of the Gaelic Knights’ locker room could understand.
First, Ludden smashed past Bishop Grimes 63-40 last Tuesday night on its home floor. Then, on Thursday night, defending Section III Class B champion Westhill paid a visit, and while it was closer, the Gaelic Knights won again, finishing strong to topple the Warriors 59-46.
Even though it was the road team on this night, Westhill had the edge of nearly a week of rest following its win over Mynderse Academy Dec. 4 at Seneca Falls. That also gave its star sister tandem of Delaney and Mackenzie Martin more time to return to basketball shape after their long volleyball season.
But what was already a good neighborhood match-up gained more meaning when Ludden, still angry about a Dec. 4 loss to “Holy War” rival CBA, turned the tables against Bishop Grimes.
It was clear, throughout the first half, that the Gaelic Knights could take the Cobras’ best shots and answer back. Yet even with a 26-21 halftime lead, Ludden was far from content, proceeding to outscore Grimes 37-19 during a dominant second half with a combination of suffocating perimeter defense and hot outside shooting.
In all, the Gaelic Knights converted eight 3-pointers, with the Cobras only connecting three times beyond the arc, all by Maria Naylor, and her nine points, combined with Azariah Wade’s 18 points, wasn’t enough to overcome a Ludden side that held the rest of the Grimes squad to just four field goals.
Danielle Rauch continued to dazzle, connecting on three 3-pointers on her way to 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Meg Sierotnik also had five steals, to go with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Sara Hayes also had 10 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Karleigh Leo had seven points as Laura Patulski and Ally Weigand each had five points and combined for 11 rebounds.
continued — It was this same group that would allow Ludden to conquer Westhill, too, even after the Warriors scored the game’s first six points and roared to an 8-2 lead. The visitors would never have that kind of advantage again.
Rauch’s jumper at the end of the first quarter pushed the Gaelic Knights in front, 11-9, and as the pace quickened in the second period, the two sides traded baskets, though Ludden went to the break nursing a 28-25 lead.
They were still in close range when, late in the third quarter, Rauch tried a 3-pointer that bounced high off the rim, but swished. Seconds later, Leo hit a 3-pointer, and the Gaelic Knights had a 43-33 edge, threatening to pull away, only to go without a point for more than four minutes, inviting a Westhill comeback.
But while the Warriors did close the gap to three, 43-40, it got thwarted when Hayes connected on back-to-back jumpers, igniting a closing stretch where Ludden outscored Westhill 16-6.
Fittingly, Rauch had six of those points, giving her 24 for the night to go with 11 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks. Sierotnik filled up the stat sheet, too, with 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals, while Hayes and Patulski each had eight points and five rebounds. Weigand piled up 12 rebounds.
Westhill, in defeat, got 17 points from Delaney Martin, with Katelyn Karleski adding 10 points. Mary Kate Washburn and Mackenzie Martin each had eight points.
The Warriors finally have its home opener Monday against Grimes, who was out to avenge its sectional Class B quarterfinal defeat of a season ago, starting a busy week that included games against Skaneateles and Vernon-Verona-Sherrill. Ludden will face Skaneateles Dec. 21 after meeting Jordan-Elbridge next Friday.