CENTRAL NEW YORK – About the only thing that could top playing against an opponent ranked no. 1 in New York State was beating them, and doing so in an emphatic manner.
This was what the Bishop Ludden girls basketball team accomplished last Friday night when, against Bishop Grimes, it cared little about the Cobras’ top state Class B ranking and, with its depth and versatility, prevailed by a score of 68-54.
Grimes had gone to no. 1 with a 10-1 start and five wins against teams in the Class A or AA ranks, but it found itself in catch-up mode from the start here as Ludden seized a 17-12 lead through one period.
Mostly it stayed that way through the middle stages, but the Gaelic Knights got away late in large part because it had four players score in double figures to the Cobras’ three.
Ava Carpenter did it all again, from 20 points to 11 assists, six rebounds and five steals. Elizabeth Gaughan augmented her 10 points with 13 rebounds as Sophia Chemotti got 14 points and six assists and Abby Reynolds had 13 points, adding five rebounds.
Though well-balanced, Grimes did not get too much beyond its top three players, Sicily Shaffer getting 18 points as Aaliyah Zachery and Kierra Baxter had 12 points apiece.
Earlier in the week Ludden maintained the upper hand in another rivalry, the “Holy War” with Christian Brothers Academy.
The Gaelic Knights held off the Brothers 46-41 last Monday night in a game where it looked to be comfortable for a while until a second-half turnaround.
Ludden steadily worked its way to a 29-17 halftime lead, only to see its offense go cold in the second half which allowed CBA to chip away at the margin.
A sustained run proved elusive for the Brothers, though, as none of its players had more than the 10 points put up by Liana Thomas.
By contrast, Reynolds led the Gaelic Knights with 14 points, adding eight rebounds. Gaughan piled up 15 rebounds as she and Carpenter had 12 points apiece, Carpenter tacking on five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Chemotti managed six points and Grace Olivia had six rebounds.
Back on Monday night Westhill returned from its holiday break and rolled to a 53-31 victory over Homer.
Having not played in more than two weeks since topping Chittenango on Dec. 20, Westhill cranked up the defense and jumped out to a 17-2 edge on the Trojans by the end of the first quarter.
Breezing from there, Westhill got another double-double from Eva Tarolli gaining 15 points and 15 rebounds, Nora Fitzgerald nearly equaling her with 13 rebounds to go with eight points. Sydney Medeiros and Kara Rosenberger had 10 points apiece, Medeiros adding seven rebounds as Sophia Lasher got six points and five rebounds.
Every other local team had to wait to play until Saturday, when Marcellus battled its way past General Brown 47-36 keyed by a defense which held the Lions to five points in the third quarter.
With Tenly Baker contained (a season-low four points) Cece Powell had to step up – and she did so, pouring in 25 points, including nine successful free throws.
This happened as West Genesee pulled away to beat Fayetteville-Manlius 73-59. Having lost six of seven before this game, the Wildcats rallied from a 37-30 halftime deficit going on a 24-12 third-quarter charge to move in front for good.
Jordyn Townes poured in 29 points, including 10 successful free throws. Bella Quinones was close behind earning 23 points as Alaina Dudzinski had 10 points and Brynlee Elkins got seven points.
Skaneateles battled past Cato-Meridian 40-30 only allowing 11 points the entire first half. Brooke DeRosalia, with nine points, led an attack where Allie Michel, Finn Pas’cal and Mia Johnson had eight points apiece.