ONONDAGA COUNTY – A 31-game win streak was daunting enough for the Christian Brothers Academy boys basketball team, with the pressure to maintain this run increasing with each win.
And the intensity only grew on Dec. 18 when, as the featured attraction of the Zebra Classic at Liverpool High School, the Brothers renewed its “Holy War” with Bishop Ludden.
Except that, at least in this case, the conflict was settled quite early as an overwhelming display of all-around basketball by CBA in the first half led to a 74-40 victory over the Gaelic Knights.
It was actually 5-5 in the opening minutes before a pattern emerged where, every time Ludden had the ball, it got swarmed on defense, leading to a string of turnovers and easy baskets on the other end.
CBA got the last 18 points of the first quarter and only allowed three field goals the entire half, building up a 41-11 advantage as Amarri Pitts matched Ludden’s total with 11 points and Braeden Burns got 10 points.
Dan Anderson, saddled by early foul trouble, netted seven points in a 30-second span of the third quarter on his way to 15 points overall, and all 12 of the Brothers’ players that saw action got on the scorebord by night’s end.
CBA had played the night before it faced Ludden, going to Cazenovia and romping past the Lakers 68-26 as 13 different players got on the scoreboard by game’s end.
Anderson, with 10 points, led the effort despite minimal minutes. Pitts had nine points, with Steve DeRegis getting eight points, Burns and Will Harrigan seven points apiece and Scott Strait six points.
Also undefeated was Bishop Grimes, who was unable to put it 3-0 record on the line when a Dec. 18 Zebra Classic game against Mekeel Christian was postponed.
But the Cobras were on the court last Tuesday to face Syracuse Academy of Science and were quite impressive, earning a 61-45 victory over the Atoms.
What was a close contest broke open when Grimes outscored SAS 21-9 in the third quarter, with Deng Garang at the forefront as he poured in 22 points. Sylvester Seton had 14 points, with Jon Corl contributing 10 points.
