It was a big week for the Jamesville-DeWitt boys basketball team, since the Red Rams would host Bishop Ludden Friday night in a game where the Red Rams had a late lead, but could not hold on to it in a 53-51 loss to the Gaelic Knights.
J-D only scored two points in the second quarter after a fast start. That left it 23-21 in Ludden’s favor at halftime, but the Rams revived in the third period, seizing a 41-35 advantage.
For the second time, Ludden clawed back, and by the final minute had tied the game at 51-51. Ludden got the ball back with less than 40 seconds left, and ran down the clock, waiting for a last-second shot.
Though everyone knew that the Gaelic Knights’ star junior Mika Adams-Woods would have the ball in some capacity, the junior still drove down the lane and converted the go-ahead basket with five seconds left. J-D could not get the ball past half-court as the clock ran out.
Adams-Woods earned a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds, helped by JoeConnor, who had 12 points. Ludden held J-D’s top threat, Buddy Boeheim, to 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, with Matt Carlin getting 13 points and seven rebounds.
Having fallen to no. 23 in the state Class A rankings following its Jan. 11 defeat to Syracuse Academy of Science, J-D responded with two wins leading up to the Ludden game, including last Tuesday’s impressive 77-52 over Homer.
Even on the Trojans’ home court, the Rams proved too much, bolting to a 25-10 lead through one quarter and not letting up until it led 66-38 through three periods. Boeheim was one assist short of a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Darvin Lovette gained 14 points, while Carlin had 13 points.
Bishop Grimes followed up its win in the Jan. 15-16 Martin Luther King Tournament by going to Central Square Friday night and edging the Redhawks 62-58 for its seventh win in a row.
Defensive pressure late in the first half helped Grimes gain control, but its 30-18 halftime lead evaporated when it went cold in the third quarter and just scored five points, allowing Central Square to pull within one, 35-34.
A wild fourth quarter followed, with the Redhawks leading at one point, but the Cobras answering to get a 51-45 lead. Gradually, Central Square pulled back within three in the final minute, yet could not catch Grimes.
Shawn Gashi had much to do with this win, pouring in 25 points, nine of them free throws. David Mo got 11 points, while Jonah Cummings and LucciVigliotti had eight points apiece and Skylar Gashi had six points. Dante Rogers led Central Square’s effort with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
