CONCORD – On their first offensive possession of the game, the Bishop Brady girls’ basketball team passed the ball around the perimeter for maybe 45 seconds before taking a shot.

It didn’t lead to any points, but it provided some insight into how a team could approach beating undefeated Bow: Grind them down and make the Falcons defend for long stretches at a time.

The problem for Bishop Brady, though, was that the players couldn’t capitalize enough offensively. The Giants hung with the Falcons, trailing 14-8 after the first quarter, but as has happened much of the season, Bow pulled away as the game progressed, ultimately winning 50-22 to keep its unbeaten season alive.

Alex Larrabee (14 points) and Bella LaPerle (nine points) led Bow’s scoring.

Even still, the strategy Brady (6-9) employed could be a blueprint for a future opponent of Bow (15-0). If an offense can deliberately work clock and score efficiently, that could put the Falcons on their heels.

Typically, Bow’s able to break out to an early lead and rely on its stifling defense to lock down wins. But the Falcons want to speed up opposing offenses; Brady tried to avoid letting that happen.

“Sal’s a good coach. State championship coach from 2020,” Bow head coach Phil Davis said of his counterpart Sal Alosa. “He knew what he had to do. He tried to slow us down. They were very effective in the first half at slowing us down.”

Alosa knew it’d be a challenge for his team to maintain that level of intensity and focus for a full four quarters. It’s an exhausting style of basketball to play, and it’s something he didn’t have his team practice until Thursday night. He hoped for a competitive three quarters at the minimum, and he almost received that.

Megan Pellerin (seven points) and Claire Jackson (six points) led Brady’s offense.

“They’re not a good team; they’re a great team,” said Alosa of Bow.

“So the objective had to be, last night at practice, we have to slow them down. Take eight or nine passes, make them play, make them get frustrated. It worked for the first half. … My kids played hard. They always do. They’re learning to give me energy and effort. Our motto is have fun and play with a ton of energy and effort. They did that.”

The Giants currently sit at 13th in the Division II standings; the top 14 teams qualify for the playoffs. Brady has three games remaining, against Pembroke (10-5), Kennett (14-1) and Lebanon (2-13).

Alosa believes that if his team can replicate the effort shown in those first 16 or so minutes of action, they’ll have a great shot at making the playoffs.

“If they bring the energy and the effort of the first half in the last three games, they could pull two out of three easily,” he said. “Now they’re tasting it; they want to be in the playoffs. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Meanwhile, Bow stands alone at the top of the standings, thanks to the Falcons’ 38-28 victory over previously unbeaten Kennett on Tuesday. They, too, have three games remaining, before they embark on their quest for a D-II championship.

Friday served as a reminder that there’s still more work to do.

“We certainly want to iron all this stuff out before we get to March,” Davis said. “I think we’ll get there. It doesn’t concern me.

“I think Bishop Brady’s an underrated team. People might look right past them, and I don’t think that’s smart. Sal and his coaching staff do a great job, and they got a few basketball players that can knock down some shots too. I’d watch out for them come playoff time.”

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