CENTRAL NEW YORK – All through last week, area high school boys basketball teams faced important contests, with one trying to reverse the recent trend of its biggest rivalry and another overcoming a 46-point individual effort to win anyway.
It was Bishop Ludden who would, after years of struggles against Christian Brothers Academy, finally take control of the “Holy War” in front of an enthusiastic home crowd last Friday night as the Gaelic Knights defeated the Brothers 68-55.
Throughout the 60-year history of the rivalry, long streaks by one team or the other have marked it, and CBA had the most recent one, but it was Ludden getting out in front early here and ultimately taking a 28-21 lead to halftime.
Every attempt by the Brothers to catch up was thwarted, with Jahzar Greene leading the Gaelic Knights as he poured in 19 points, dished out seven assists and added four steals.
Inside, Liam Sheard had a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, with Tim Dunham getting 15 points. Mike Masterpole had eight points and six rebounds, CBA getting a game-high 22 points from Tavin Penix.
Ludden needed to bounce back after a weekend trip to the Albany area where it lost 73-52 to Catholic Central despite Sheard’s 17 points, six rebounds and four blocks as Greene had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Then, a day later, the Gaelic Knights fell to Troy LaSalle 72-52, outscored in every quarter. Only Dunham, with 19 points, hit double figures, Sheard adding 10 rebounds and Greene earning nine points.
Westhill was the one who faced an opponent’s individual brilliance, in this case Chittenango’s Ryan Moesch, who amassed his 46 points last Tuesday night yet could not keep the state Class A no. 21-ranked Warriors from rallying to prevail 84-76.
The entire first half was a close-run affair where neither side led by more than four points and the lead changed hands 11 times. Moesch amassed 23 points, but Westhill sophomore Eli Prince nearly equaled that total and his last-second putback gave the Warriors a 38-37 advantage going to the break.
Sparked by three 3-pointers from Brendon Barnard, Chittenango went on a 13-4 run to lead 50-42, but saw Westhill chip away and ultimately hold Moesch without a 3-pointer until the waning seconds of the game.
At the the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors put together a 15-3 run to go ahead for good. Kam Langdon had eight of those points, with Eli Welch adding a baseline dunk.
Try as it could, the Bears could not catch up, Moesch’s big numbers overcome by Prince’s career-high 35 points and 11 rebounds, plus Langdon getting 21 of his 28 points in the second half and adding 11 assists. Welch added eight points and 12 rebounds.
Avoiding a letdown at Mexico Thursday night, Westhill rolled past the Tigers 82-52 and improved its overall record to 11-2.
Having moved up to no. 14 in the most recent state Class AA rankings, West Genesee continued to solidify its favored status, prevailing again last Tuesday by topping Fayetteville-Manlius 60-45.
Aside from a steady, consistent defense that frustrated F-M all night, the Wildcats also won because it had two reliable scoring threats. Jordan Cain had 17 points, matched by the Hornets’ Chris Cleary, but Gary McLane added 13 points and no other F-M player got close to double figures.
