PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Laresah Gros
February 24, 2015
Officials: Spending, not revenue, the problem
February 24, 2015
Baton Rouge met the bayou on Thursday night in Galliano as No. 18 St. Joseph’s Academy made the two-hour drive from the Red Stick to lock horns with No. 15 South Lafourche in the opening round of the Class 5A State Playoffs.
It was a close, hard-fought, physical and entertaining game played before a jam-packed, loud gymnasium. In the end, the bayou won, making the Lady Tarpons one of three locals to advance in the girls’ basketball playoffs.
South Lafourche trumped St. Joseph’s Academy 53-48 on Thursday night, rallying from a two-point deficit at the end of the third quarter to secure the comeback win – a back and forth affair that saw multiple lead changes and momentum swings throughout the night.
The victory improved the Lady Tarpons to 25-6 on the season, while ending St. Joseph’s year with a 16-12 record.
“What a game!” South Lafourche girls’ basketball coach Rainie Terrebonne said. “It was wild and unpredictable and just everything else. They came in here and played hard, but we just sort of made the last run to finish on top. I’m so happy for our team, and I’m so happy for our community that we were able to get this win.”
“The crowd was amazing. It was so loud in here tonight,” junior guard Brinkley Callais added after the win. “I think they really powered us to give it that last little bit extra that we needed in the end to seal the win.”
For South Lafourche, the victory was a total team effort – something that Terrebonne said has been the story of the team’s season.
In the opening half, the Red Stickers came out throwing haymakers, hitting several outside shots to take an early lead.
With freshman post Victorianna Nelson on the bench with two early fouls, junior center Breigh Cheramie stepped up and gave Terrebonne her most valuable minutes of the season. Cheramie had six points in the first quarter – valuable buckets that helped South Lafourche ride out the Red Stickers’ early onslaught with just a two-point deficit after the first quarter.
“Breigh did an amazing job,” Callais said of her teammate. “We were all feeling the pressure a little bit when we saw what they came out and were doing. When Victorianna had to sit down, we needed her badly, and she stepped up and played very well.”
Callais wasn’t half bad, either.
On the stat sheet, the Lady Tarpons’ junior scored 13 points, but she did far more to impact the game than put the ball in the basket.
Defensively, she swarmed the Red Stickers’ offense with steals and hustle plays, forcing countless errant passes jump balls. Offensively, she set up her teammates, while also making critical free throws down the stretch to help ice the win.
When asked to pick the player who impacted the game the most, St. Joseph’s Academy coach DeLynn Stelly didn’t have to think twice to give an answer.
“That kid’s energy gave them life,” Stelly said of Callais. “She was really disruptive. She had a great night.”
With Callais flexing her muscles defensively, a lot of other Tarpons were able to put points on the board.
Lady Tarpons’ freshmen standouts Traya Bruce and Nelson combined for 25 points in the game with Bruce leading all scorers with 17.
Senior guard Macie Camardelle pitched in four points, as did junior guard Caroline Guilbeau, who is usually one of the team’s leading scorers.
But when surrounded by talented players, one can survive an off night or two – even in the playoffs.
The Lady Tarpons proved that Thursday night.
“It was a team effort. We all pitched in,” Callais said. “That’s how it’s been all season.”
With the win, the Lady Tarpons traveled to take on No. 2 Walker on Monday night. The opening tip for that game was 6:30 p.m., and no score was available at press-time.
Walker defeated the Lady Tarpons in the opening round of the playoffs last season.
ELSEWHERE IN THE HOUMA-THIBODAUX AREA
The Lady Tarpons weren’t the only local girls’ basketball team rejoicing victory. Two others moved on to the second round – one in Class 4A and the other in Class 3A.
In Class 4A, No. 8 Ellender stormed into the second round, using a dominant performance from start-to-finish to soundly defeat No. 25 Neville 77-45. The Lady Patriots jumped ahead of their North Louisiana foe and never looked back, easily rolling into the next round in coach Adrian Blake’s inaugural season with the team.
Senior Kiara Scott scored 24 points to pace the Lady Patriots, while Orieon James and Sky Jasper and Nikkia Johnson pitched in 18, 17 and 13, respectively.
With the win, Ellender hosted No. 9 West Ouachita on Monday night at 6:30 p.m. with no score available at press-time.
West Ouachita advanced to the second round after trumping No. 24 Morgan City 64-45 on Thursday night.
The Lady Patriots also beat Morgan City this season – twice, to be exact.
Just like Ellender, No. 6 E.D. White was also home for a second-straight playoff game, hosting No. 11 Notre Dame on Monday night at 6:30 p.m. with no score available at press-time.
The winner of the E.D. White/Notre Dame game will face the winner of Evangel and Mansfield in the Quarterfinals.
The South Lafourche girls’ basketball team poses in front of the charter bus that they took to Walker High School on Monday night. The outcome of that game was unavailable at press-time, but the Lady Tarpons were one of three local teams still alive on the girls’ basketball playoffs at press time.
