Though a nine-game win streak halted last Friday night when the Bishop Grimes boys basketball team fell to Bishop Ludden 71-64, a whole lot of positives could get taken out of that effort, aside from the fact that it was a lot closer than their initial meeting early this season.
Most of all, the state Class A no. 22-ranked Cobras learned that it could overcome a slow start and, with effort and hustle, hold its own against any opponent in Central New York as it constantly answered any time the Gaelic Knights tried to get away. Were it not for Mika Adams-Woods’ late-game mastery and a few ill-timed calls, it may have gone Grimes’ way.
Nearly two months ago, on Dec. 9, the Cobras hosted Ludden and nothing went right, from poor shooting to an inability to cope with Ludden’s size and defensive prowess in a 56-35 defeat.
Now, though, Grimes arrived at Ludden sporting that nine-game win streak. Ludden, who had risen to no. 9 in the state AA poll, fully expected a close battle, and would get it.
Grimes certainly didn’t panic when the Gaelic Knights bolted out to an 18-6 first-quarter lead, aided by a 9-0 run. Instead, the Cobras, fueled by back-to-back 3-pointers from Lucci Vigliotti and Jonah Cummings, closed the first half with 12 straight points and went to the break in front, 29-27.
A back-and-forth third quarter ultimately saw Ludden regain the lead, and it stretched that margin to 50-43 early in the final period before Grimes called a time-out. That halted the Gaelic Knights’ momentum and, the Cobras countered with a 13-4 run capped by Cummings’ driving basket.
Again, the lead swapped in the closing minutes. With Ludden clinging to a one-point edge, 61-60, Adams-Woods, saddled with four fouls, made the game’s biggest play, a leaning jumper off the glass that swished and drew a foul.
Adams-Woods made the free throw, and seconds later Grimes caught a bad break when Shawn Gashi was whistled for a player-control foul on a drive to the basket, drawing vociferous protest from Cobras players, coaches and fans.
The fortunate call sent Ludden to the final minute ahead, 64-60, and forced to foul, Grimes could only watch as the Gaelic Knights made seven of eight three throws to put the game away.
Grimes still had four players score in double figures. Gashi led with 18 points, with Vigliotti adding 14 points. Cummings and David Mo had 11 points apiece. For Ludden, Adams-Woods scored nine of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. Nic Button had 12 points, with Ed Walser adding 11 points.
The fact that Grimes would take a nine-game win streak to Ludden was made possible by last Wednesday’s game against Syracuse Academy of Science, a fast-paced contest where the accuracy of the Cobras’ 3-point shooters made a difference as it beat the Atoms 79-66.
For three quarters, neither side could get away. Grimes steadily gained a 40-35 lead by halftime, only to have SAS stick with them throughout a past-paced third period. Early in the fourth quarter, despite all of those outside shots, Grimes only led 61-58.
But back-to-back 3-pointers by Jonah Cummings (back after missing the Jan. 27 game with Auburn due to illness) and Gashi expanded the margin to nine, and SAS never got closer, hurt by the fact that two of its top players, Symir Torrence and Noreon Williams, missed large portions of the second half due to cramps.
Gashi earned 11 of his 22 points on free throws. Of Mo’s 20 points, 12 of it came from four 3-pointers, and most of it in the first half. Vigliotti chimed in with 16 points as he connected three times beyond the arc, while Cummings had 11 points.
Torrence, despite his limited minutes, still led the Atoms with 17 points as Kenyang Lual added 16 points and Khari Odom 12 points. It was the second time SAS fell to Grimes this fall, with the Cobras having prevailed 73-57 in mid-December.
After the loss to Ludden, Grimes would take a 12-5 record into another tough week where Homer would visit on Tuesday and it would venture Friday to CBA before a Feb. 14 regular-season finale at Mexico.
