Without question, the Bishop Grimes boys basketball team’s come-from-behind win over Bishop Ludden in the Peppino’s Invitational on Dec. 5 gave the team a newfound confidence as the meat of the OHSL Liberty division schedule loomed. The Cobras promptly went to Skaneateles Wednesday night and reversed the trend, this time relying on a big first half — and dominant performances by juniors Mike Stone and Mike Sugamosto — to beat the Lakers 71-62. Though Skaneateles was 2-0, it had not really been tested yet. Grimes changed that in a hurry, roaring out to a 24-14 lead by the end of the first quarter. If Stone wasn’t draining outside shots, he was drawing defensive attention — which left Sugamosto open inside, a situation Sugamosto would often exploit with easy baskets. Together, Stone and Sugamosto led the Cobras to a 42-26 halftime edge. Skaneateles, to its credit, would fight back behind Kevin Rice (24 points) and Pat Roberts (16 points), but Grimes was too good on this night. Stone, who hit on four 3-pointers plus six other field goals and six free throws, finished with 30 points, while Sugamosto earned 10 field goals on his way to 21 points. Kucjok Ater, with eight points, and Tavon Moore, with seven points, helped out. Meanwhile, the Bishop Grimes girls team saw its key early-season home battle with Pulaski get postponed by Thursday’s heavy winter storms that kept Pulaski from traveling. Two days earlier, the Cobras unleashed all kinds of offense on winless Cato-Meridian last Tuesday night in a 74-16 rout of the Blue Devils. All Cato managed in the first quarter was a free throw, and didn’t get a basket until the second quarter, by which point Grimes was on its way to a 31-5 halftime edge. By game’s end, all 11 Grimes players had recorded at least one field goal. Emma Kelley hit a trio of 3-pointers on her way to 17 points, while Amelia Heiselman gained 13 points. Amanda Marcely (eight points) and Erannan Shattuck (seven points) had solid showings as Michelle Godlewski and Maria King each finished with six points. On Saturday, Grimes hosted Henninger. And in its first real test of the season, the Cobras used a third-quarter surge as the key component of a 48-38 victory over the Black Knights. Henninger actually led, 12-10, through one period, and though Grimes clamped down on the defensive side, holding the Black Knights to just four points in the second quarter, it only led 19-16 at the break. Everything clicked in the third quarter, though, as shots started to fall and Grimes used a 15-6 spurt to get clear, something that Henninger could not answer. Heiselman, in particular, hurt the Black Knights, hitting on five 3-pointers to account for most of her 19 points. Marcely worked inside for 13 points as a complement to Heiselman’s work. Shalisa Jackson led Henninger with 14 points. The Grimes girls would get another serious test Tuesday, at Weedsport, while the boys Cobras (snowed out of last Friday’s game at Hannibal) return this Friday to face Jordan-Elbridge.