COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The holiday fun came a little early at Ohio Dominican Thursday night, as Bishop Ready outlasted a valiant St. Charles effort and picked up a tight 38-37 conference win. 

With both teams having legitimate conference championship aspirations, the senior-laden Knights held the lead for most of the game, but the Cardinals stayed within one or two possessions for the entire second half.

St. Charles had an opportunity to take the lead when senior Chase Walker executed an impressive spin move in the post, but was fouled, hit the floor hard and needed assistance to get up. Walker checked out of the game momentarily, which led to sophomore Isaac Wiley selected to shoot two free throws with the Cardinals down a deuce and just under a minute to go. Wiley hit the first of two attempts, his only point of the evening, to tie the game at 37. 

Bishop Ready head coach Tony Bisutti then had his team burn clock for the final possession until senior guard Luke Ruth penetrated the paint and was fouled on a lay-up attempt with 2.7 seconds left. Ruth had scored seven points in the first half, but was held scoreless in the second, until he made the first of two attempts. 

Cardinal Zach Auletta grabbed the missed second attempt rebound and called a timeout to give St. Charles a final attempt to go the court in 2.4 seconds. Walker caught the ball from the opposing foul line, took a few dribbles and threw a half-court heave that was off the mark and sealed the Silver Knights victory.

Ready received a balanced effort from its entire starting five. Senior Kaleb Schaffer led the team with 12 points, while Ruth, senior Charlie Russell and sophomore Kayden Schaffer each had eights points. Only junior Josh Paul added additional scoring, with two points, as the Knights had zero points off the bench.  The strong chemistry of the Knights' starting five is evident and speaks to how they are undefeated so far this season. 

With hopes of a return to the district finals, St. Charles looked the part of a hungry team eager for a win as the Cardinals have now lost five of their last six. Walker, the star center committed to Illinois State, was once again the lead contributor for the Cardinals, but he did receive a strong supporting effort from his teammates. 

Walker led all scorers with 13 points, while senior George Mosholder had 10 points that included three triples, while fellow seniors Zach Auletta and John Levy finished with seven and six points, respectively. Senior forward Max Colucy was the Cardinals best defender and grabbed three rebounds.

The Cardinals (2-5, 1-2) will aim to get back on track when they play Wadsworth for an event at Thomas Worthington on December 27. 

The Silver Knights (7-0, 2-0) also have an out-of-area opponent next on their schedule, as they'll play Dayton Northridge at Harvest Prep on December 27.

For more on Thursday night's game, check out the 5 Keys To The Game

1. Well-Balanced Knights: Although they had no points from their bench, the Ready starting five is one of the best in Central Ohio. Ruth, Russell and the Schaffer brothers scored 36 of the team's 38 points, all with eight a piece, except for the elder Schaffer who finished with 12 points. You can tell the Knights starting line-up has a strong trust in one another, as each player seemed to take turns with scoring duties. Ruth scored seven of his eight in the first half, Kayden Schaffer scored all of his eight in the second quarter, while Russell had all of his points in the second half. The defending CCL champions compliment each other well, as there's no void in outside shooting, athleticism or an ability to make a crucial play. That's why the Silver Knights can win the region in Division II. 

2. Can Only Contain Chase: The cliché rings true, you can't stop Chase Walker, you can only hope to contain him. The 6'9 center was really good on Thursday, as he showed off his beautiful lefty touch, his smooth finesse in the post and gifted vision when he dished the ball, usually out of a double or triple team. He finished with 13 points along with two assists, though he most certainly did his part to earn an additional four or more. All that said, Ready did an admirable job of preventing Walker from catching the ball deep in the post. They threw a variety of defenders at him throughout the game and did a good job of applying double (or triple) teams when Walker was in a vulnerable position. To Walker's credit, he rarely made the wrong play and had limited turnovers.

3. Freshman Watch: One of the multiple players that took turns defending Walker was Ready freshman Uthman Sherif, a 6'3 forward. In limited time, Sherif appeared almost like a smaller version of Walker, but made the all-district player earn his work when guarded by him. Although we did not see much from Sherif offensively and he picked up three fouls, Sherif was a player that stood out defensively and is worth keeping an eye on.

4. Confidence for the Cards: Simply put, it has not been an easy start to the season for St. Charles, who is now 2-5. That said, the Cardinals have played a high level schedule against some of the area's top teams. In their two CCL games, St. Charles has lost by a combined four points. Yet the effort that was put on display Thursday indicated a team that despite some limitations, has a competitive drive and a powerful leader in Walker. There isn't a game on the Cardinals schedule for the next month that isn't winnable. I expect St. Charles to collect some victories throughout January.

5. CCL Race Update: While St. Charles put themselves behind another game, I still think this is a three-team race for the CCL championship. The Cardinals are 1-2 in the conference, while Bishop Ready and rival Bishop Hartley stand at 2-0. After the Hawks finished at the bottom of the standings last year, Hartley is undefeated on this season and has been one of the area's most improved teams. Central Ohio hoops fans will want to circle January 13 on their calendar when the Hawks travel to Ready.

MVP: Kaleb Schaffer (Bishop Ready senior wing forward, 12 points, 2 rebounds, steal)

Lead Scorer: Chase Walker (St. Charles senior center, 13 points)

Hustle Player of the Game: Luke Ruth (Bishop Ready senior guard, game-winning free throw, three assists, two steals)