ONONDAGA COUNTY – For the second time in as many weeks, the Bishop Grimes boys basketball team had an opportunity to take down a high-profile opponent in front of its home fans.
Skaneateles brought a 12-1 record and 11-game win streak to East Syracuse last Tuesday night, and the Cobras brought the Lakers’ momentum to a crashing halt with a superb defensive performance in a 58-47 victory.
Everything got decided in a stretch that spanned the end of the third quarter and most of the final period, when Grimes managed to hold Skaneateles without a field goal for nearly 10 minutes.
It began with the Cobras trailing 36-29 before it picked up full-court pressure amid a trio of baskets from Deng Garang, Jon Corl and Carmelo McKelvin. And Garang’s basket just before the third period ended gave Grimes the lead for good.
A combination of constant pressure from the Cobras’ defenders and cold Skaneateles shooting continued down the stretch. All the while, Grimes was completing a 23-4 run that put the game out of reach.
Garang scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Corl and Sylvester Seton both finished with 13 points.
Just 24 hours earlier, Grimes saw its own three-game win streak ended by Mekeel Christian 69-54, the second time in less than two weeks it had lost to Mekeel, though it was much closer than the 90-55 romp on Jan. 12.
Only Jon Corl, with 17 points, was able to score on a consistent basis, with Eric Wall adding 11 points as Sylvester Seton and Jon Farstler got eight points apiece and Deng Garang had seven points.
Up ahead this season, Grimes still has a game against Christian Brothers Academy and another opportunity to knock off a high-profile opponent and rival.
Quiet most of the week after a Jan. 22 overtime loss to Fayetteville-Manlius, the Brothers were back in action last Friday and, even without Dan Anderson in the lineup, rolled past Institute of Technology Central 65-38.
Never threatened, CBA led the Eagles 35-16 by halftime and kept on rolling as Steve DeRegis and Will Harrigan, in particular, took advantage of extra opportunities.
DeRegis finished with 13 points and Harrigan had 12 points, helping out Braeden Burns, who led the Brothers with 16 points as Joe Nicholson got 10 points and Amarri Pitts had nine points.
Manlius-Pebble Hill was 4-6 going into last Monday’s game against Faith Heritage, and it was tight all the way until the Saints outscored the Trojans 17-10 in the fourth quarter.
The 53-44 loss saw Qon Ewing and Miguel Gonzalez each put up 13 points, while James Wildhack had 10 points. Devin Burns paced Faith Heritage with 20 points.
Against reigning sectional Class D champion DeRuyter last Wednesday night, MPH was overwhelmed in a 76-24 loss as the Rockets’ Gavin Richardson outscored the Trojans by himself with 39 points, adding 13 rebounds and five steals.
