The 4-0 start put together by the Bishop Grimes boys basketball team nearly got upended in last Tuesday night’s game at Syracuse’s Institute of Technology Central, but the Cobras held on late to beat the Eagles 77-74 in its only action of the week.

ITC was quite content to play at Grimes’ fast tempo, and the hosts led early before the Cobras took charge in the second and third periods, largely on the hot hand of Luciano Vigliotti, who had a career-best 31 points, nearly half of it from five 3-pointers, to help make up for the struggles of A.C. Ater, who had a season-low four points.

Trailing 63-53 after three periods, ITC charged hard down the stretch, led by Tr’Von Balaam (23 points), James Walker (17 points) and Iquail Dancil (15 points), but could not quite catch up. Helping out Vigliotti, Shawn Gashi produced 14 points, while Johnny Wike had 13 points and Mark Shattuck earned seven points.

Like Grimes, Christian Brothers Academy had won big at the Peppino’s Invitational, knocking off Utica Proctor and Liverpool within a 24-hour span, but the Brothers hadn’t played at home until last Tuesday night, when defense and scoring balance led to a 63-35 win over Chittenango.

The much-improved Bears arrived at Buddy Wleklinski Court sporting a 3-0 record, and hung close until the second quarter, when it managed just a single free throw and no field goals against CBA’s pressure.

Steadily pulling away, the Brothers spread its production around, no one getting more than Dan Damico’s total of 11 points. Mark Lutz had nine points, with Matt Purcell and Zeff Edenfield each contributing eight points. Charles Pride got seven points as Nate Brower and Kevin Underwood earned six points apiece.

Friday’s game with Mexico had a similar result, the Brothers taming the Tigers 65-27. Mexico had just 10 total points in the second and third periods against a swarming CBA defense while, on the other end, all11 players that saw action got at least two points, with Pride (15 points) and Lutz (14 points) at the forefront. Nick Aversa, usually a pass-first point guard, contributed seven points.

CBA’s neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt played for the first time since its Dec. 5 defeat to Fairport on Friday, and finally got head coach Jeff Ike his first win at the helm, the Red Rams defeating the Fowler Falcons 64-43.

Breaking the game open in the second quarter, J-D went on to outscore Fowler 41-15 over the course of the middle two periods. By themselves, the brother tandem of Jimmy Boeheim (31 points) and Buddy Boeheim (16 points) outscored the Falcons, with help from Darvin Lovette (eight points) and Rahmell Smith (seven points).

Manlius-Pebble Hill was winless going into Wednesday’s game at undefeated Tully, but didn’t let that fact bother them as the Trojans built up a mid-game lead and then held on to stun the Black Knights 61-55.

With an attack far less dependent on Joe Cerio, MPH erased Tully’s early lead when it outscored them 33-19 over the course of the second and third periods. This produced a 48-36 cushion that the Trojans needed as the Black Knights, led by Jason Phelps’ game-high 28 points, rallied late.

Instead of Cerio, it was Bryce Church emerging as MPH’s top scorer, earning 21 points, including three 3-pointers. Cerio wasn’t far behind, though, getting 19 points and also connecting three times beyond the arc, but Saad Burkhari stepped up, too, earning 13 points.

Before this, MPH endured its second consecutive close defeat last Monday night, when it battled Faith Heritage to the wire, but fell to the Saints 58-52. The Trojans were up, 14-9, after one period, only to see Faith catch up and take the lead by the third quarter, when it held MPH to six points.

Trailing 41-35, MPH could only match the Saints’ production down the stretch. Cerio was sensational again, earning 28 points, but no other MPH player reached double figures as Church earned just six points. By contrast, the Saints saw Steve Santucci (15 points), Matt Lewis (14 points) and Noah LaCourse (11 points) reach double figures.

Back on Tuesday, East Syracuse Minoa ended its season-opening four-game skid, venturing to Oswego and, with a big fourth-quarter effort, earning a 53-48 victory over the Buccaneers.

Much of the game was played on even terms. Oswego matched every ESM surge and was up, 38-36, going to the final period, but in those last eight minutes the Spartans outscored the Bucs 17-10 to pull it out.

The Spartans got nice inside-outside balance from Ty Barkins and Colton Cwikla, as Barkins produced 21 points and most of Cwikla’s 14 points came from four 3-pointers. Trey Clark led Oswego with 17 points.

ESM looked for two in a row Saturday night, at Fulton, but never got going in a 72-56 defeat, the Red Raiders roaring out in front, 24-10, in the first quarter and stretching the margin out to 64-34 before the Spartans made up some ground late. Cody Green, with 21 points, and Tyler Lee, with 20 points, led Fulton’s efforts.