CENTRAL NEW YORK – Whenever it has faced some adversity this winter, the Bishop Ludden girls basketball team’s response has proven quite overwhelming.
Back on Jan. 21, the Gaelic Knights tested itself in a big way against state Class B no. 2-ranked Albany Academies and lost, 76-52, which ended a seven-game win streak.
Albany Academies jumped out 24-7 in the first quarter and just kept adding to that margin until the final minutes. Despite this, Elizabeth Gaughan still managed 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals, while Bridget Dunham had 15 points and five five rebounds. Jordyn Townes finished with nine points.
Ludden absorbed this and, now holding the no. 19 state Class AAA ranking, returned to local action last Tuesday by hosting Fulton and ripping past the Red Dragons 70-31.
Despite Fulton’s solid 7-6 record, it only managed four points in the first quarter. The Gaelic Knights continued to roll, peaking with a 22-6 third quarter that produced a 54-20 advantage.
Ava Carpenter, held to two points by Albany Academies, got 13 points here, plus six steals and five assists. Dunham led with 18 points, while Townes got 12 points. Gaughan managed nine points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
On Friday night, Ludden had the first of two meetings with Bishop Grimes scheduled over an 11-day stretch and, taking charge of this crosstown private-school rivalry, defeated the Cobras 71-52.
Both sides were hot in the early going, but Ludden broke out of an 18-18 tie by outscoring Grimes 17-8 the rest of the half, then continuing to extend its margin throughout the second half.
Aside from her 21 points, Carpenter also got eight assists and four steals. Townes chimed in with 15 points, while Dunham gained 12 points and Gaughan earned eight points, six rebounds and five assists. Abby Reynolds added nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
West Genesee would find its way back to the .500 mark (8-8) in its only action last week, the Wildcats meeting Oswego and, led again by Bella Quinones, blasted past the Buccaneers 69-40.
Strong on defense at the outset, WG led 15-4 after one period and stretched the margin to 37-15 by halftime, more than enough as Oswego improved in the second half but could not make up any ground.
Torrid from the perimeter, Quinones hit on seven 3-pointers to account for most of her 31 points, her third 30-plus outing of the season. Hannah Sparks and Madison Newkirk-Meyer each contributed 13 points, with Mia Raymond adding seven points.
Coming off a rough mid-January stretch, Westhill attempted to begin a recovery last Monday when it defeated Nottingham 47-37, carried for the most part by steady defense.
Building a 21-13 halftime lead, the Warriors were never caught, Kara Rosenberger getting 14 points and seven rebounds and Izzy Young adding 12 points, four rebounds and four steals. Rosie Mahoney accumulated nine points, eight rebounds and six assists, Nora Fitzgerald adding seven points.
Then, against Syracuse West on Thursday night, Westhill prevailed again, 70-51, building most of its margin through strong starts to each half as Young poured in 23 points, adding six rebounds and four assists.
Eva Tarolli lived on the boards, earning 15 rebounds and two blocks to go with her eight points, with Lizzy McPeak dishing out 11 assists. Rosenberger gained 12 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists as Reagan Rogers earned a season-best 10 points.
