ONONDAGA COUNTY – Two big early-season games would say a lot about where the Bishop Ludden boys basketball team stood relative to two other top Class AA contenders, capped by the renewal of its “Holy War” with Christian Brothers Academy at week’s end in the Zebra Classic at Liverpool.
The Gaelic Knights carried a 4-0 record into Tuesday’s game at 3-0 Cicero-North Syracuse, and while freshman Chad Cook had a breakout performance, Ludden still lost, 63-52, to the Northstars.
On a night where the OnMyTeam16 Challenge was held and raised more than $2,000 to support children fighting cancer, it only figured that the game was tied 16-16 after one quarter.
Cranking up its defense, C-NS held Ludden to just one field goal in the second quarter and, with a 12-2 run that went deep into the third period, built a double-digit advantage.
Cook continued to get points inside and fueled an 8-0 fourth-quarter run that cut the Gaelic Knights’ deficit to 53-47 with five minutes left, but the Northstars’ senior star, Luke Paragon, hit on 10 consecutive points that helped put away the game.
All told, Cook had 29 points, while Paragon earned 19 of his 26 points in the second half, helped by Andrew Benedict, who had 16 points. Jaiden Holloman was held to eight points as he was the focus of C-NS’s defense all night.
Ludden arrived with momentum after a hare-earned sweep of two games played in the Dec. 10-11 Peppino’s Invitational at Onondaga Community College.
At SRC Arena, the Gaelic Knights held off Baldwinsville 54-50 in a game that showcased Holloman’s multiple talents.
The sophomore guard scored all 11 of his team’s first-quarter points and its first 13 overall on his way to 25 points overall as Ludden nursed a solid advantage most of the way.
Then, leading 51-39, the Gaelic Knights saw B’ville use an 11-0 run to nearly catch up, most of it from Jason Bifulco, who would pour in 26 points.
Yet Ludden twice kept Bifulco from trying go-ahead shots in the final seconds. Eli Taft missed a wide-open 3-pointer in the corner and, seconds later, Trey Ordway forced up an air ball.
Joe Dunham hit the clinching free throws with 1.2 seconds left. Overall, it was Cook, with 11 points, and Wol Aman, with nine points, helping out Holloman the most.
A day later, against Leadership Academy, Ludden won again, 60-48, this time in a contest where things were tight most of the way until a fourth quarter when the Gaelic Knights outscored LA 15-7.
Holloman somehow managed to top his B’ville effort, this time pouring in 29 points. As Holloman worked outside, Cook had his way in the paint and poured in 22 points, a preview of what he would do against C-NS.
West Genesee was putting together its own terrific start to the season, having routed Utica Proctor and Auburn before taking on Jamesville-DeWitt at OCC on Dec. 11.
A big first half was all the Wildcats needed to beat the Red Rams 67-50, with Christian Cain putting up plenty of baskets as WG worked its way to a 35-22 advantage by the break.
Cain finished the night with 25 points, helped by teammates Christian Amica and Kerrick Albright, who had 12 points apiece, matching J-D’s top scorer, Brendan Kohberger.
