Tigers outlast Cardinals 49-41

After giving up a big lead last year in a loss to the E.D. White Cardinals, it was the Thibodaux Tigers who erased an early deficit to hold off the Cardinals 49-41 on the third day of the Cardinal Classic Friday night.

Thibodaux head coach Tony Clark said the Tigers were finally able to carry out their game plan in the second half.

“I think it was nerves at first,” Clark said. “They were shooting the ball all over the place to start the game. Once we settled down, we played much better.”

Clark said it was important for the Tigers to force turnovers.

“We tried to force turnovers but that didn’t happen in the first half,” Clark said. “We got into transition and got the tempo up a bit which is what we wanted to do.”

Late in the fourth quarter, with his team trailing 38-34, Bryson Triggs hit a three-pointer to cut the gap to 38-37. On the next possession, Triggs hit a lay-up and drew the foul as the shot went in. The free throw was good and the Cardinals led 40-38 with 3:39 to play.

Thaddeus Cole came up big for the Tigers (4-3), hitting two free throws to tie the game 40-40 with 2:36 to play.

Cole scored the next four points of the contest to put the Tigers up 44-40 with 1:10 left to play.

After Ben Martin missed the first free throw of a one-and-one, the Tigers took the lead 45-40 after Lorenzo Robinson made one of two free throws.

Trailing 47-40 with 8.5 seconds remaining, Brett Ledet went to the line and hit one of two free throws to cut the lead 47-41. The Tigers closed out the game on a fast break lay-up by Cole as time expired to seal the 49-41 victory.

E.D. White Head Coach Jonathan Keife said he was pleased with the effort of this team.

“We really had some costly turnovers,” Keife said. “I thought we really battled on the boards tonight hard and from that standpoint I am very pleased.”

The first half saw the Cardinals take an early 7-0 lead before the Tigers scored two straight baskets to cut the lead to 7-4. E.D. White closed out the outscoring Thibodaux 6-4 to take a 13-8 lead.

He second quarter was much of the same.

After Thibodaux cut the lead to 13-12, both teams continued to trade baskets and the Cardinals led 20-17 with just over one minute remaining.

Cole scored two with 37 seconds left in the half, and Demon Bolt hit one of two free throws to tie the score 20-20 at halftime.

Leading the Tigers was Cole, who finished with 31 points while Martin led all Cardinals (4-3) scorers with 19.

MORGAN CITY 68, THIBODAUX 45

The Morgan City Tigers rallied back from an early 13-9 deficit to handily defeat the Thibodaux Tigers 68-45 in the final day of action at the Cardinal Classic at E.D. White, Saturday.

Morgan City head coach Jeremy Whittington said this was his team’s best match up of the year.

“We’ve been lucky to have success in the third and fourth quarters when we needed it,” Whittington said. “Thibodaux is tough. They are really good, young and have a lot of talent.”

Thibodaux jumped out early in the first quarter; trailing only twice, 2-0 and 4-3, before going on a 9-6 run to take the early 13-9 lead.

Morgan City rallied back in the second quarter and took the lead 14-13 after a three pointer by Craigory Christopher with 6:25 to play in the half. Thibodaux went back on top after Carmichael Pharagood was fouled on a lay-up that went in. Pharagood made the free throw and Thibodaux led 17-16 with 3:31 to play in the half.

Morgan City regained the lead on another three pointer, this time by John Gibson, to take the lead 19-17 with 3:15 to play in the half.

Once again Thibodaux responded when Justin Soniat scored and was fouled. The free throw was good and Thibodaux led 20-19 with 2:24 to play.

However, Morgan City closed out the half with a 3-0 run to take a 22-20 lead into halftime.

In the second half Morgan City increased their lead to 25-20 following a three-pointer by Nicholas Ingraham during the opening seconds.

Thibodaux closed the gap to 25-23 on two separate possessions, but Morgan City put together runs of 7-0, 10-0 and 7-0 to take a 49-31 lead after three quarters.

Morgan City capitalized on Thibodaux turnovers in the fourth quarter and outscored Thibodaux 19-14 to close out the game and seal the 68-45 victory.

Thibodaux Head Coach Tony Clark said his team has a lot to work on.

“They forced turnovers but honestly that was bad,” Clark said. “We just have to grow up that was not mature basketball we played today.”

Even though Thibodaux won their first two games of the tournament, Clark said his team must improve.

“The last game is the most important and from what I saw today we have got some work we got to do,” Clark said.

Leading all Morgan City scorers was Christopher who finished with 23 points. Lorenzo Robinson led Thibodaux with 11, all of which came in the first quarter.

Other Scores from the Cardinal Classic …

Wednesday

(Boys) South Lafourche 48 Grace king 37

(Boys) Morgan City 37 E.D. White 31

Thursday

(Girls) Cabrini 42 HLB 26

(Boys) Thibodaux 76 Grace King 49

(Girls) South Lafourche 69 EDW 36

(Boys) S. Lafourche 49 West St. John 33

Friday

(Girls) S. Lafourche 51 HLB 32

(Boys) Morgan City 57 W. St. John 37

(Girls) Cabrini 43 EDW 38

Saturday

(Boys) Grace King 66 W. St. John 60

(Girls) S. Lafourche 59 Cabrini 33