Lady Tarpons win district title 68-64

As the clock struck zero in last week’s basketball game between the South Lafourche Lady Tarpons and Terrebonne Lady Tigers, celebration ensued on the Lady Tarpons’ bench.

With a 68-64 finish, reality quickly sunk in. The Lady Tarpons had clinched their first outright district championship since the 1993-94 season.

The win guarantees the team a chance to rid the sour taste left in their mouths last season.

The Lady Tarpons finished fourth in the district last year with a 22-13 overall record and were ousted by Ouachita in the first round of playoffs.

Today, the Lady Tarpons are district champions.

With Friday’s win over Assumption, the Lady Tarpons completed a perfect district slate. Their record stands at 24-8 overall and 12-0 in the tough District 8-5A. The team stands at No. 14 in the Class 5A power rankings.

“It feels great,” sixth-year head coach Corey Callais said of the district win. “We had a goal at the beginning of the season to come out and win district. We’ve been working on it all year long. Those girls were in a battle tonight (against Terrebonne). They just stepped up and showed their heart tonight. They made the plays when it counted and ended up with a district championship.”

Last year’s letdown left an impression on his five senior starters, Callais said. It was the driving force heading toward district play.

The Lady Tarpons sealed the deal as the best team in district when they beat last year’s district champs, Thibodaux.

The victory over Terrebonne behind 25 points from senior guard Janee Lombas capped off a gutsy team performance. The First-Team All-District selection from a year ago said “one-and-done” isn’t in the team’s vocabulary this season.

“We want to get at least one playoff win at home this year,” Lombas said. “Winning district was something we wanted to accomplish, and we did it. Now, we want to win in the playoffs.”

Callais agreed, saying he believes his team has matured since the heartbreaking end to last season. He hopes to carry the season’s momentum into the playoffs.

With five senior starters and seven junior reserves waiting in the wings, Callias believes he has the talent to make a deep run.

“We’re looking now into our playoff run,” he said. “We want to try and continue this momentum, hopefully, get as deep in the playoffs as we can.”

The Lady Tarpons’ success from the three-point mark sets this year’s team apart from past years, Callais said. Against the Lady Tigers, the team finished with nine treys.

“I was thrilled that every time we needed a big shot, somebody stepped up and hit a three for us,” he added. “That’s the way it’s been all season. I can’t say anything else about these girls. I’m just so proud of them. They worked for this.”

Vandebill Catholic won the girls’ 8-4A district title with a 48-21 win over Ellender on Thursday, going 22-7, 8-0 on district. Patterson won the 7-3A district title with a 52-46 win on Friday over West St. Mary, going 21-8, 7-1 in district.