ROCHESTER, NY- With Bishop Kearney in the midst of a grueling six games in seven days stretch its truly all about testing the mettle and the character of the young Kings players. They have the talent without question, but when really pushed to the limit how they would respond.

Through the first four games Bishop Kearney had responded with flying colors and paced by the 21 points of star forward Saniaa Wilson '21 on Sunday morning, it was the Kings pushing past a very good Jamesville-DeWitt team late to take a 70-54 victory.

Sunday was the fifth game for the Kings in their last six days, a stretch that no high school team normally goes through during a season but because of snow and weather-related postponements this is the spot Bishop Kearney finds themselves in.

It's not the schedule that head coach Kevan Sheppard was hoping for but its what's in front of them now but it's been so far so good even though Wilson says she is really beginning to feel it at this point.

"It kind of wears you down after a while and everybody is tiring but we are finding ways because we just don't want to lose," Wilson said.

What Sheppard was hoping for was a quick and convincing win on Sunday to really allow his team to take some pressure off and not have to go all out again for 32 minutes after tough games earlier in the week against Penfield, Our Lady of Mercy, Amherst, and Sacred Heart Academy, but of course against one of New York's best in Jamesville-DeWitt, Sheppard said he knew that wasn't going to happen.

"I knew we were going to be tired so I tried to jump on them early today hoping they would quit but that didn't happen of course because J-D is just so good," Sheppard.

The Red Rams are a perennial New York State Class A power, and they as a team had it going on early from behind the arc with Sydney Baker '20 hitting from behind the arc in the opening quarter, and then it was Gabby Stickle '20 who was able to burn the Kings from behind the arc and off the dribble going to the rim to keep Jamesville-DeWitt close.

Unfortunately for J-D though the size and play inside of Wilson and Taylor Norris '21 proved to be a major problem as their lack of size against the physical play of Bishop Kearney inside allowed the Kings to have their way down low with the sophomore interior duo combining for 19 first half points to give Kearney a 32-27 halftime advantage.

Even with a halftime lead, Sheppard wasn't all that happy with what he saw from his group in the first half of play as he admitted that they were too lackadaisical guarding the outside and he needed to see better from the Kings if they wanted to come out with the win.

"At halftime I just said that we are going to have to hunker down in the second half and get out on those guards and take away those two shooters who lit us up because that just cannot happen like that," Sheppard.

Wilson admitted that it was time for Kearney to really focus on the job at hand as being tired wasn't an excuse that she or any of her teammates would accept for that kind of disappointing first half effort in her eyes.

When things get tough it seems as if that's when this Bishop Kearney group really rallies together even more as with legs far from fresh at this point the defensive intensity from the Kings guards really stepped up as the pressure they put on the Red Rams started to force turnovers, and with Marianna Freeman '21 and Kaia Goode '22 each beginning to find their range from behind the arc, the lead for the Rochester power was pushed up to double digits for the first time all game at 52-41.

Jamesville-DeWitt never went away as they continued to fight and claw proving to still be among the best in Class A again this season with Momo LaClair '21 hitting a couple of midrange shots off the dribble, but after a dominant opening half for the Kearney forward's, it was their guards late who carried the way as with 4 players in double figured leading the way it was Bishop Kearney who pulled away down the stretch for the 70-54 win.

Leading the way for Bishop Kearney was Wilson who had a game high 21 points, but with Norris adding 15 points, and Freeman and Lytoya Baker '19 each adding 13 points apiece as well it was the definition of a total team performance.

For J-D in the defeat it was Stickle who led the way with 15 points, with Baker connecting on four threes on the days as well to chip in and add 12 points.

Moving to 17-1 on the season now Bishop Kearney has dreams of a deep run in taking now just a Section 5 Class AA title, but also vying past that for an NYSPHSAA Class AA championship as well. It won't be easy but Sheppard feels as if this grinding stretch will only help prepare his team for anything, they may see the rest of the way in their march toward what could be a very special finish to the season.

"If they can get out and do what they do, I'm confident in what they will do," Sheppard said. "I definitely believe they have the skill and what it takes to get the job done."