All through the last two weeks of the regular season, each of the Bishop Ludden basketball teams would find themselves in the spotlight with high-profiled games against their private-school rivals.
Ludden’s boys team entered last week no. 17 in the state Class AA rankings. Whether it stayed there hinged on how it navigated a tough homestretch.
And it was made more difficult when a winter snowstorm postponed last Friday’s game against Bishop Grimes, and moved it to Monday night.
This meant that, when Ludden faced LaSalle Institute on Sunday, it would begin a stretch of three games in as many days, with Grimes in the middle and the “Holy War” renewal with Christian Brothers Academy on Tuesday night.
Ludden would win that game, 73-57, overcoming an early deficit by outscoring LaSalle 28-16 in the second quarter, then continuing to build on that margin the rest of the way.
Mykell Kaigler was difficult to contain, his 27 points featuring four 3-pointers. Monte Johnson earned 20 points, with Jarin Beauford contributing 12 points.
Back on Monday night, Ludden’s boys nearly got tripped up at Syracuse Academy of Science, needing a furious late comeback to edge the Atoms 65-63.
After a solid start, the Gaelic Knights were oustcored 36-24 by SAS in the second and third periods, and trailed 45-40 before turning things around again in the fourth quarter.
Closing fast, Ludden needed 27 points from Johnson to survive, helped by Kaigler’s 19 points and 11 points from Nazier Kinsey. Zaccheaus Smith led the Atoms with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Ludden’s girls team would see its initial attempt for a regular-season sweep of Bishop Grimes thwarted by the same snowstorm that pushed back the boys contest.
That game was made up on Sunday afternoon, though, and it was the Gaelic Knights again getting the best of the Cobras, prevailing by a score of 54-43.
Moving in front 15-7 through one period, Ludden maintained that margin through the game’s middle stages and then pulled further away late as Amarah Streiff led the way with 24 points.
Kaitlyn Kibling stepped up, earning 13 points, with Ke’aira Odume adding 10 points. Grimes lost despite Jenna Sloan getting 17 points and Lora Marial adding 11 points.
This came after Ludden lost a 69-67 thriller to Syracuse Academy of Science last Tuesday despite Streiff putting up 30 points and Lauren Petrie earning 22 points, with Odume adding 12 points.
All this helped the Gaelic Knights inch in front 51-47 through three quarters, but the Atoms regained the lead in the fourth quarter and held on from there.
SAS got 23 points from Xyel Bradford as Alexius Pierce (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Erykah Pasha (14 points, 10 rebounds) helped her. Freey Pleasants had 11 points and 10 assists.
