Since the history between the two schools is limited, it’s foolish to think that the basketball games between Bishop Grimes and Bishop Ludden can amount to a “Holy War” on par with that the Gaelic Knights once had with Chrsitian Brothers Academy. Still, there was no denying the importance of the Cobras’ encounter with the Gaelic Knights on Wednesday night in Geddes. Grimes was 3-0, Ludden 4-0, and whoever won would lead the OHSL Liberty division going into 2011. Grimes had plenty of good early moments, and battled all the way to the final buzzer – but still lost a 56-54 decision to the Gaelic Knights. Mike Stone led both sides with 19 points, he only made a single 3-pointer in the second half and fouled out in the closing minutes, unable to help the Cobras in its late comeback attempt. Stone had dazzled in the game’s opening minute, hitting a baseline jumper off the glass, sinking another jump shot after a nifty crossover dribble and, to cap it off, making a steal and lay-up to make it 6-0 before Ludden even got a point. Within two minutes, though, Ludden was out in front thanks to its own 7-0 run, and freshman Dan Kaigler powered them through the rest of the first half, getting 11 of his 17 points on everything from drives to the basket to a pulled-up 3-pointer. That helped the Gaelic Knights take a 28-23 lead to the break. Ludden aimed to limit Stone’s possessions, and while that worked in the third quarter, Grimes still used baskets from Gai Ater (who finished with 12 points) and Connor Sohl (who added 10 points) to inch ahead 36-35 late in the period. Again, the Gaelic Knights would answer. First, Tyler Young hit on back-to-back possessions, pushing Ludden in front 39-36. Then Matt Rogers chimed in with his own pair of baskets just before the period ended, and suddenly the Cobras were down 43-36. Grimes never left the picture, closing within 43-42 early in the fourth quarter before Ludden’s Kelly Beaudoin stepped up, draining five straight points to restore his team’s margin. With Stone and fellow senior Mike Sugamosto (just five points) shut down and Ludden defending well all over the court, it carried a 53-45 lead to the closing 90 seconds – and still Grimes almost pulled it out. Kaigler and Young missed six consecutive free throws, and Casey Evans’ banked-in 3-pointer with 15 seconds left made it 54-51. Finally, Beaudoin stepped to the line and made the clinching foul shots, and though Ater got a 3-pointer in the waning seconds, Ludden would hang on. Two nights before facing Ludden, the Cobras had to deal with Marcellus in the make-up of a game snowed out earlier in the month. Led again by Stone and Sugamosto, Grimes got away in the second half and beat the Mustangs 74-59. From the time it started the game 9-0, the Cobras never trailed. Yet its ability to build a big early lead got hampered when Stone picked up three fouls in the first half, forcing him to sit for long periods of time. In the meantime, Marcellus pulled within three, 32-29, by halftime, fueled by Chaz Hayes, who had 10 of his 24 points in the second quarter. Mike Fox, who finished with 16 points, also made big contributions. Grimes would spend the third quarter regaining control, partly due to Sugamosto, who had eight of his 15 points in that frame. Stone did the rest, never picking up that fourth foul and using a series of nifty moves to create space – and baskets – for himself. Stone finished with a season-best 28 points, and Casey Evans added 10 points as Gai Ater put in eight points. The Cobras’ defense also did a superb job bottling up Marcellus star Steve Raven, holding him to a single field goal. In between these two outings, the Bishop Grimes girls basketball team met with frustration last Tuesday in a 57-56 defeat to Bishop Ludden. A string of 3-pointers by Amelia Heiselman and Lauren Vaughn pushed the Cobras ahead 16-13 after one period, and Heiselman struck with eight more points (she had 17 points on the night) in the third quarter as Grimes built a 54-48 lead by the final period. Ludden would rally, though, by forcing turnovers and getting to the free-throw line. Overall, the Gaelic Knights took 28 foul shots and made 20 of them, 13 by Nicole Granteed (who had 15 points) and Natalie Barletta (who got 12 points) as Kayla Kibling had 17 points. To help Heiselman, Shauntesha Bryant had nine points, with Jordan Vaught and Michelle Godlewski joining Vaughn as they each posted eight points. Maria King had six points. Grimes hosts its annual Lady Cobra Invitational on Wednesday and Thursday, playing Watertown IHC in the first round after reigning Class C champion Utica-Notre Dame plays Rochester Mercy. The Cobras and Jugglers could have a rematch of last year’s sectional semifinal, when UND won 46-36 to end Grimes’ 19-game win streak. The Bishop Grimes boys team returns to action Wednesday in the Cicero-North Syracuse Holiday Tournament, playing the host Northstars (defending Section III Class AA champions) in the first round, then Fayetteville-Manilus or Ithaca.