For the second consecutive Sunday, the Bishop Grimes and Christian Brothers Academy boys basketball teams were part of a showcase event.
And the results were the same, too, with the CobOnly ras prevailing and the Brothers taking a setback during the annual Pathfinder Bank Zebra Classic at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall.
Grimes had beaten CBA head-to-head on Jan. 10. Now the Cobras moved on to face Johnson City (Section IV) and, led early by T.J. Bradford and late by David Mo, pulled away to beat the Wildcats 69-56.
The first half went back and forth, Grimes not taking the lead for good until late in the second quarter. All through it, Bradford carried the Cobras’ attack, getting 18 points, more than half his team’s output.
Despite Bradford’s efforts, Grimes only led 34-32 at halftime, but a 16-5 run that lasted deep into the third quarter helped the Cobras get away, with Mo taking over.
Of Mo’s 20 points, 18 of them came in the second half. Bradford only added one more field goal to finish with 20 points, but added 15 points and seven rebounds as Gop Arop gained nine points and Nate Gay added eight points.
Then it was CBA against Bishop Ludden, renewing the “Holy War”. The boys game again featured throwback jerseys, though unlike years past, when old Syracuse parochial schools were represented, the schools this time featured their own colors.
The jerseys won dated back to 1974, back when CBA’s head coach and athletic director, Buddy Wleklinski, and assistant coach Ed Leone were players at the school and the two rivals shared a league title, but Ludden won the playoff game at Le Moyne.
On this night, Ludden would prevail, too, easing its way past the Brothers 61-39. It was the first time in more than three decades that someone other that Pat Donnelly was coaching for the Gaelic Knights against CBA, Gallagher Driscoll having taken over after Donnelly’s retirement.
Playing its usual tough defense, the Brothers contained Ludden well throughout the first half, taking an early lead and, after the Gaelic Knights went in front, roaring back late in the second quarter to tie it, 23-23, by halftime.
Only in the third period did Ludden go in front for good, finding consistency on offense while, at the same time, controlling the paint on defense, forcing CBA into outside shots that kept flying off target.
No CBA player reached double figures as Aaron Clendenin led with nine points, while Nick Valenti and Nate Griffith each had seven points. Mykell Kaigler led Ludden with 16 points, Nick Button adding 13 points and Champ Reid getting 11 points.
Before the boys took the floor, CBA and Ludden met in girls basketball. And this proved a closer contest, but again the Gaelic Knights finished in front, edging the Brothers 62-56.
CBA was just 3-5 going into the game, while Ludden was 8-3 riding a five-game win streak. Still, it was the Brothers going in front 16-10 by the end of the first quarter.
Just like it would go in the boys game, the Gaelic Knights gained a tie by halftime (25-25 in this instance), and then went in front during the third period, though in this case CBA didn’t go away.
Led by Brooke Jarvis, who poured in 26 points, the Brothers made Ludden work all the way to the wire. But the Gaelic Knights held on as Aurora Deshaies had 24 points, but unlike Jarvis, Deshaies got substantial help from Lauren Petrie, who had 13 points, and Amarah Streiff, who got 10 points.
