When the girls basketball version of the “Holy War” between Christian Brothers Academy and Bishop Ludden took place last Friday night, it did so with two teams in prime form.
The Brothers entered with a six-game win streak, while the Gaelic Knights had won 12 in a row. What gave, in the end, was CBA’s surge as it fell to Ludden by a score of 47-36, even though junior Brooke Jarvis reached a career milestone.
A standout all through this winter for the Brothers, Jarvis, on the varsity since eighth grade, used a fake and drive to the basket late in regulation to surpass 1,000 career points.
All told, Jarvis had 14 points in this game, but she, like the other CBA players, had difficulty producing much against a voracious Ludden defense that proved far stingier than in its 62-56 win over the Brothers on Jan. 11 in the Zebra Classic.
Grabbing a 26-15 edge by halftime, the Gaelic Knights did not let anyone other than Jarvis score in double figures, Skye Ryan only getting six points as Emily Hall and Leana Heitzmann had six points apiece.
On Ludden’s side, Aurora Deshaies, like Jarvis a 1,000-career point scorer, had 15 points, fewer than the 24 she posted in the first meeting, with four other Gaelic Knights getting six or more points to help out.
CBA, once 3-8, won its fifth game in a row last Monday against visiting Cazenovia, leaning on its defense to down the Lakers 46-27.
In a pivotal second quarter, CBA outscored Cazenovia 15-4, and kept adding to its margin in the second half as Jarvis hit three 3-pointers on her way to 16 points overall. Ryan, Maura Claire Conan and Claire Nicholson had six points apiece.
A day later, that win streak was tested against 12-4 Syracuse Academy of Science, who edged CBA 65-60 back on Jan. 18. Here, though, the Brothers remained in top form, defeating the Atoms 59-52.
Up 20-11 through one period, CBA’s advantage didn’t last as SAS tied it 25-25 by halftime, and it led going to the fourth quarter, where the Brothers regained the lead for good.
Again, Jarvis was at the forefront, her 25 points including eight successful free throws. Ryan gained 12 points, with Clonan adding nine points as Heitzmann got seven points and Emily Hall six points.
That same night Bishop Ludden had its second win over Bishop Grimes in as many tries, the Cobras again with a fine effort, but falling 71-63 to the Gaelic Knights
Grimes did hold the lead, up 21-17 after a fast-paced first quarter, only to get contained as Ludden dominated the next two periods, outscoring the Cobras 38-17.
Grimes made a spirited push down the stretch, reducing its deficit to single digits, but the comeback fell short, though Abby Wilkinson had 22 points as Jenna Sloan got 17 points, Sarah Snavlin 12 points and Lora Marial 10 points.
Deshaies led Ludden with 28 points and 14 rebounds, Amarah Streiff adding 16 points, Karleigh Leo 15 points and Lauren Petrie got 12 points.
Now Grimes faced SAS, whom it lost to 59-49 late in December, but on this Friday night the Cobras broke through with a 66-60 victory over the Atoms.
All game long, the pace was quick, and Grimes was up to it, gradually working its way to a 43-39 lead by the end of the third quarter and pulling through in a tense late-game exchange.
Best of all, the Cobras’ attack spread out, Marial earning a career-best 23 points and Sloan getting 12 points to help Wilkinson, who still had 17 points as Snavlin had eight points.
On Sunday, Grimes lost, 56-51, to Albany’s Academy of Holy Names as Wilkinson got held to 10 points, something the Cobras could not overcome despite 15 points from Sloan and nine points apiece from Snavlin and Naywell Ayail.
