Now the tenure of Bishop Ludden boys basketball head coach Pat Donnelly, which started 31 seasons ago, is down to its final weeks, and the tribute continue to pour in.
On Tuesday night, it was Ludden’s turn with a “Pat Donnelly Night” ceremony prior to a game against neighborhood rival Westhill, which the Gaelic Knights would win 64-55 over the Warriors.
Just before they tipped off, more than 20 former players entered the floor in front of a packed crown as Ludden and Westhill fans alike gave Donnelly a standing ovation.
Those players, part of Gaelic Knights teams that won two state, four regional, 12 Section III and 15 league titles in Donnelly’s three decades at the helm, presented a new banner that will hang in the Ludden gym after the season is over.
Then a video tribute was offered with praise from Ludden figures such as principal Leo Cosgrove and athletic director Gallagher Driscoll, who will succeed Donnelly as head coach in the 2018-19 season.
Coaching peers such as Westhill’s Kevin King, CBA’s Buddy Wleklinski and Bishop Grimes’ Bob McKenney also offered tributes during the video. McKenney, a five-time state champion at Jamesville-DeWitt, was Donnelly’s college teammate at Potsdam State.
When Donnelly got his turn to speak, he thanked his wife, Laurie, whom he called “the real MVP” and saved his greatest praise for his former players.
“I am only here because of you,” said Donnelly. “I had great players that turned into great people.”
Minutes later, the game tipped off, and it was quickly apparent that Ludden’s size advantage would bother Westhill all night, especially on the defensive side.
After Zechariah Brown’s layup cut the Gaelic Knights’ lead to 9-7, the Warriors would not get another field goal for more than seven minutes. Meanwhile, Joe Connor ignited the Ludden attack with nine of his team-high 20 points in the second quarter, capped by a driving dunk.
Only Brown’s pair of 3-pointers kept Westhill within range, 29-18, going into halftime, but in the third quarter Ludden took control for good with two different 8-0 runs.
Sean Dadey did all he could for the Warriors, earning a game-high 28 points, but other than Brown (11 points), no other Westhill player had more than one field goal.
Nic Button put in 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, with Shakim Lee getting 10 points. Monte Johnson and Jai Smith each had eight points and Ed Walser added six points.
Two nights later, Westhill got a chance to rebound at Skaneateles, and did so, prevailing 68-49 in a game where it trailed at one point in the first quarter and, despite a long Lakers drought, only was up 33-23 at halftime.
But by outscoring Skaneateles 22-14 in the third quarter, the Warriors were able to relax as Dadey, helped by five 3-pointers, finished with 26 points overall.
Brown also connected five times beyond the arc to account for most of his 17 points. John Geer had seven points and Ryan Gilmartin had six points as Kenny Peterson (12 points), Jack Canty and Tommy Reed (10 points apiece) paced Skaneateles.
Ludden played on Friday night at Syracuse Academy of Science, where again its defense stood out in a 57-41 victory over the Atoms, the key sequence coming in the second quarter.
The Gaelic Knights outscored SAS 17-6 in that frame and eventually built a 47-27 lead through three quarters. Button hit on five 3-pointers and led Ludden with 20 points as Connor added 17 points and Lee got eight points.
