SYRACUSE – A single shot, from an unlikely source, decided a girls basketball classic.
Elizabeth Gaughan’s shot from the half-court line beat the buzzer Friday night and gave state Class A no. 10-ranked Bishop Ludden a 51-50 victory over Bishop Grimes.
Many different aspects of this result was unique, from the way it unfolded to the mere fact that it was close, the Gaelic Knights having surrendered a 15-point second-half lead.
And the only reason Ludden even had a chance at the end was because the Cobras missed three of four free throws with an opportunity to put the game away.
With 6.8 seconds left, Grimes guard Natalie Musolino went to the free-throw line, her team up 50-48. Two successful foul shots would clinch the game, but Musolino missed them both.
A scramble for the ball followed. Ludden came up with possession, but since it was out of time-outs, the Gaelic Knights could not advance the ball to get a better shot.
Hurrying like it had done all night, the ball ended up in Gaughan’s hands. With two seconds left and heavily guarded, Gaughan, as she crossed the time line, let fly – and it swished.
Painful as the loss was, Grimes, no. 11 in this week’s state Class B rankings, had shown remarkable grit and toughness rallying after Ludden had taken charge with a 13-0 run that bridged the first and second periods.
Trailing 33-18 in the third, the Cobras leaned on the duo of Nayweil Ayeil and Arich Marial to turn the game around, netting 10 points between them in a 13-0 spurt.
From there, the rest of the game was a tense battle, played on Grimes’ terms as, on defense, it never let Ludden’s star forward, Amarah Streiff, produce much after scoring 11 points in the opening period.
Jenna Sloan carried the Cobras through much of the homestretch, scoring nine of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, and back-to-back 3-pointers from Musolino and Rosalie Vincent put Grimes in front for the first time all night at 49-45 entering the final minute.
It took a 3-pointer from Streiff, who finished with 24 points, to cut the margin to one. Sloan made one of two free throws to make it 50-48, setting up the final drama.
Gaughan’s long-range game-winner gave her 10 points as Kaitlyn Kibling got 12 points. Vincent led Grimes with 14 points, with Sloan and Ayeil getting 13 points apiece.
After all this, what happened in the boys game between Grimes and Ludden was a bit more routine, though this time it was the Cobras finishing on top by a score of 80-65.
During the course of the first half, Grimes steadily worked its way to a 42-25 lead. But unlike the girls game, the team in front was able to withstand any comeback attempt without serious stress.
Winning its third game in a row, the Cobras saw Deng Garang put up 19 points, one of four players in double figures. Eric Wall had 14 points, with Sylvester Seton getting 12 points and Jon Corl 10 points as Jon Farstler had nine points. Chad Cook (18 points) and Jaiden Holloman (16 points) led Ludden.
