ONONDAGA COUNTY – What might unfold for the Christian Brothers Academy boys basketball team the rest of the regular season is few real opportunities to see how its long win streak would stand up amid late-game tension.
One thing the Brothers don’t have to think about anymore, though, is its long win streak that dated back nearly two full years.
Having claimed 34 victories in a row, CBA saw that run finally end Saturday when it fell 54-47 to St. Francis, of Buffalo, in a doubleheader at Bishop Grimes.
Braeden Burns, CBA’s second-leading scorer, was out, and without him the offense struggled against a tough St. Francis defense throughout the first half.
Trailing 26-18 at the break, the Brothers cranked up its own defense and moved within two, 33-31, by the end of the third quarter to set up a tense finish.
Dan Andeson and Amarri Pitts did all they could, Anderson earning 19 points and Pitts 13 points as Steve DeRegis got eight points, but St. Francis was able to get away, handing CBA its first defeat since Jan. 14, 2020.
Ironically, it was Bishop Grimes who beat the Brothers that day two years ago, and Grimes hosting this particular event where it also took the court against a Buffalo-area opponent and lost, 78-64, to Bishop Timon despite 24 points from Sylvester Seton and 16 points from Deng Garang.
All this followed last Tuesday’s game at Buddy Wleklinski Court when CBA and Grimes went head-to-head and the Brothers rolled to a 77-46 decision.
Hitting on a string of early 3-pointers, the Brothers zoomed to a 23-12 lead through one period and did not let up, especially in a third quarter where it outscored the Cobras 23-8.
As usual, the formula involved plenty from Anderson, who finished with 21 points, and plenty of assistance from \Burns, who got 15 points. DeRegis produced 11 points as Joe Nicholson had nine points, Tyler Broschart seven points and Scott Strait six points.
Though in catch-up mode all night, Grimes did see Karmelo McKelvin pick up 13 points and Garang add 10 points, while Eric Wall had nine points and Jon Corl six points.
The opening game of the twin bill between the two private-school neighbors went in the other direction.
Bishop Grimes, sporting the no. 15 state Class B ranking, leaned heavily on its defense against CBA, especially in the second half as it pulled away for a 48-22 victory.
Neither team started fast, but the Cobras were productive in the second quarter, assuming a 24-14 advantage and then limiting the Brothers to just eight points the rest of the way.
Jenna Sloan, with 16 points, and Rosalie Vincent, with 12 points, did enough by themselves to outscore CBA as Naywel Ayeil added eight points. Chianna Williams, with 14 points, was reponsible for all but three of the Brothers’ field goals.
