ONONDAGA COUNTY – Nothing quite like taking on two local powers who just happen to be reigning Section III champions to remain undefeated, as the Bishop Ludden boys basketball team did last week in an attempt to stay undefeated. And Ludden almost pulled it off – but got stopped right at the end inFriday night’s game at Marcellus where the Mustangs controlled the game’s tempo and pulled out a 54-53 victory ending the Gaelic Knights’ nine-game win streak. Here was a game where Ludden leaned heavily on guard Jahzar Greene and, led by his drives to the basket, stayed right with Marcellus and inched into a 31-29 halftime lead. Sparked by a Damyn LeClair 3-pointer early in the third period, the Mustangs stormed in front, ultimately taking a 48-44 advantage to the final period where it added to the lead, then went cold. Held without a point in the game’s final four minutes, Marcellus had to completely depend on its defense making key stops all the way to the final buzzer. Overcoming Greene’s 30 points, the Mustangs held Ludden star forward Liam Sheard to five points, six rebounds and four blocks. More balanced, Marcellus was paced by Tucker Burnett’s 19 points as Dom Gosh-Sandy had 13 points and Connor Ciota 11 points. Before all this, Ludden outlasted “Backyard Brawl” rival Westhill 68-64 last Tuesday night. Parked at no. 21 in the state Class AAA rankings despite its 8-0 mark Ludden was eager to go after a Westhill side whose 9-1 record helped it rise to no. 8 in the state in Class A. Ultimately, the game proved a two-man show for Ludden, Sheard carrying the Gaelic Knights early and Greene taking over in the late stages. As Westhill’s defense contained Greene early, Sheard asserted himself with two blocks in the game’s first two minutes and 11 first-half points which kept things close and helped Ludden go to halftime tied 27-27. The game’s biggest play came in the third quarter. Westhill led 35-31 when Eli Prince went up for a dunk, only to have it blocked cleanly by Sheard. Seconds later, Joe Dunham hit a 3-pointer, triggering an 18-5 run that put the Gaelic Knights ahead for good. By then, Greene had taken over. He capped the third quarter with a 30-foot shot at the horn and, overall, hit on 16 consecutive points to help Ludden build a 63-49 lead with 2:30 left, enough to withstand a furious late Westhill comeback. Greene finished with 29 points as Sheard got 23 points and seven rebounds. Prince’s 19 points led Westhill but was below his season average as Jackson Goodness got 17 points, with Eli Welch and Jack Hayes earning 11 points apiece. Rebounding on Friday night Westhill handled Christian Brothers Academy 56-38, holding the Brothers to four points in the first quarter and leading from there as Prince upped his total to 24 points and Goodness added 12 points. Elsewhere, Jordan-Elbridge played last Monday against Homer and fell to the Trojans 72-65, a defeat made more painful by the remarkable performance of Nolan Brunelle. For three quarters Brunelle was unstoppable, hitting on seven 3-pointers and converting 18 free throws as he would finish with 47 points, a new career mark. Much of it came early as the Eagles bolted to a 28-12 lead through one quarter. Though the Trojans made up some ground, J-E still was up 62-54 going to the final period, where it all fell apart. The Eagles went cold and Homer closed 18-3, largely because it spread around its production to Jack Brady (19 points), Max Franco and Kaden Durham (16 points apiece), while no other Eagles player other than Brunelle reached double figures. J-E rebounded Wednesday night to defeat Canastota 56-39, a night which would prove historic. When Brunelle scored his 10th point of the night, he broke J-E’s school record for career points with no. 1,431 – and the mark of 1,430 points was held by his father, Ryan Brunelle, who established that mark in 1998 and is the Eagles’ current head coach. For the night Brunelle finished with 21 points, helped plenty by Lewis Vincent, who got all of his 15 points from five 3-pointers. Preston Murray contributed nine points.