Rainey giving all he’s got for H.L. Bourgeois basketball

Drainage, the budget, Cantrelle’s leadership among focuses of Lafourche in 2018
January 10, 2018
Colonels men, women get crucial Southland wins
January 10, 2018
Drainage, the budget, Cantrelle’s leadership among focuses of Lafourche in 2018
January 10, 2018
Colonels men, women get crucial Southland wins
January 10, 2018

It costs anywhere between $5 and $7 to get into a varsity high school basketball game at area gyms.


H.L. Bourgeois senior guard A.J. Rainey, alone, is worth that cost of admission – and then some.

The Braves are 16-6 at press time on Monday afternoon and the explosive senior guard is a big reason why.

Rainey is easy the area’s leading scorer, routinely scoring 20, 30 or even 40-plus points to help the Braves win games.


In Friday’s win against East St. John, Rainey scored 38 points and filled up every other facet of the stat sheet, as well.

Just a few nights earlier against Thibodaux, Rainey had 27 points to lead his team to the win.

“He’s really grown as a player,” H.L. Bourgeois coach Andrew Caillouet said in an interview earlier this season. “We all know about the great things he can do offensively and he’s really evolving and working hard to be equally as good on the defensive side, as well. The kids look up to him and he really performs at a high level for us every time he steps onto the floor.”


It’s hard to fully develop a scouting report on Rainey because there are so many things he does well.

We’ll start with his explosion.

After the Braves get a defensive stop, they often look for a deep home-run pass down the floor to Rainey, who has an innate ability to fire down the floor in transition once his team gets a defensive stop.


Assuming opponents thwart that scoring threat and get the Braves into a half-court offensive game, the challenges are just beginning.

In the half-court, Rainey is relentless, owning the ability to rise above the defense several feet behind the 3-point line, which spreads defenders wide.

Once they extend, he often works off the dribble, owning a polished mid-range game and incredibly ability to finish at the rim.


If teams try and get creative defensively and take the ball out of Rainey’s hands, he’s OK with that, too. The senior point guard is a willing passer, owning several games with 10 or more assists this season.

The Braves also have other capable scorers in their weaponry, namely Terrell Barrow, Divine Martin, Taihgan Poindexter and Deondre Buggage, among other threats.

“He’s not afraid to make the right play,” Caillouet said. “He doesn’t force it. If opponents are trying to take the ball out of his hands, he isn’t afraid to pass it to the open teammate. He trusts the guys playing with him. He’s always been a willing passer.”


Because of Rainey’s strong play, colleges have been lining up to try and secure his services in the future.

Rainey’s father, A.J. Rainey Sr. confirmed to The Times that his son has received several offers from programs around the area, adding that the family is blessed to be in this situation.

The guard plans to pick a school in the coming weeks.


“He’s put in the work,” Rainey Sr. said. “He’s really worked hard and dedicated himself. I told him, now, it’s time to have fun. The hard work, that’s the grind. The games are supposed to be fun. A.J. is out there playing and having so much fun.”

So now, the challenge is to continue to find victories in a district that’s awfully tough.

The Braves appear to be the lead dogs in District 7-5A, owning head-to-head victories over Thibodaux and East St. John – two of their most worthwhile challengers.


But landmines are all over the place in the district and Hahnville, Central Lafourche, Destrehan and Terrebonne are all more than capable of finding wins on any given Tuesday or Friday night.

But so far, Rainey’s wizardry has been enough to get through the challenges unscathed.

TEAMS SUCCEED AT WEEKEND TOURNAMENTS

Someone break up the South Terrebonne boys’ basketball team!


The Gators got through the Thomas Jefferson Tournament unscathed this weekend, posting three-straight victories on the weekend to improve to 9-9 on the season.

South Terrebonne beat Central Catholic, John Ehret and the host school in their three games, despite having just seven players for most of the weekend.

The Gators are still outside of the Top 32 in the Class 4A State Playoff Power Rankings, but are trending in the right direction at the right time with district play around the corner.


Also at Thomas Jefferson, South Lafourche posted a 2-1 record, beating Central Catholic and Belle Chasse, before losing to John Ehret.

Luke Chiasson won All-Tournament for the Tarpons on the weekend and senior guard Marquis Francis made six 3-pointers against Belle Chasse – to help raise money for a worthwhile cause.

The Tarpons are collecting pledges for every made 3-pointer as part of Coaches vs. Cancer.


To pledge, visit https://pledgeit.org/cvc18-south-lafourche-high-school-la.

The Tarpons have a goal to raise $1,000.

If Francis keeps it up, they should get there in no time.


On the girls’ side, South Lafourche made it to the Championship Game of the Gold Bracket at the SB Prep Classic this week, beating Destrehan and Natchitoches Central to get to the big game.

But the Lady Tarpons fell to Lafayette Christian in the Championship Game.

A.J. Rainey


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