Plenty of tough tests awaited the Bishop Grimes girls basketball team, but a 5-0 start indicated that the Cobras, at the very least, would make every top opponent work hard to conquer them.
Yet that five-game win streak was halted last Thursday night, at Phoenix, where things started slow for the Cobras and never picked up in a 48-43 defeat to the Firebirds.
Despite a 3-3 record going into the game, Phoenix got the jump on Grimes, grabbing a 14-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. All through the next two periods, the Cobras had plenty of chances to make up the ground, but could not do so.
The Firebirds held on with leadership from Samantha Doupe (18 points), Caitlyn Connolly (14 points) and Natalie Hart (eight points), who combined to hit seven 3-pointers. On Grimes’ side, Maria Naylor and Bri Squier each had 12 points, with Abby Wilkinson adding 10 points.
In last Tuesday’s game at Mexico, Grimes almost pulled off a first-quarter shutout, and from there continued to control matters as it routed the Tigers 75-27.
The Cobras held Mexico to a single free throw in the first quarter and built a 23-1 edge. As the lead continued to grow, all 11 players that saw action would get on the scoreboard.
Abby Wilkinson, with 14 points, led the charge, with McKenna Squier getting 11 points. Maria Naylor, Lora Marial and Ensonti Wigginson had eight points apiece as Bri Squier got six points and Adut Mo had five points.
On the same Thursday that Grimes lost at Phoenix, Christian Brothers Academy had its own drama against Chittenango, but did just enough to beat the Bears 40-39.
It didn’t look too difficult when CBA’s defense contained Chittenango in the first half, steadily building a 25-12 edge. But the Bears outscored the Brothers 13-5 in the third quarter, with Mekenzie Dahlin (12 points) leading the comeback attempt.
In order to hang on and get its third straight win, CBA needed Brooke Jarvis to put up 12 points and get help from Emily Hall, who had nine points, and Skye Ryan, who had eight points. Jarvis and Hall each hit on five successful free throws.
Meanwhile, Fayetteville-Manlius met up with a revived Cicero-North Syracuse side that wants to take back the top spot in the Class AA ranks, and while the Hornets’ defense played well, it still lost, 46-34, to the Northstars.
Much of the game was played on even terms, yet F-M paid for getting held to five points in the first quarter and, for the rest of the night, worked in vain to make up that early deficit.
Lexie Roe did get 12 points, including three 3-pointers, while Alexis Schneider got 10 points. But the rest of the Hornets combined for just three field goals as Amani Free paced C-NS with 17 points and freshman Jessica Cook added eight points.
East Syracuse Minoa struggled again in a 53-19 defeat to Fulton, managing just seven points in the first quarter and less in the three quarters that followed. Samantha Valentine had eight points as Erin Nicholson (15 points) and McKenna Chesbro (13 points) paced the Red Raiders.
