Donna Sue Theriot
December 20, 2017
Former Tarpon to transfer to Tulane
December 20, 2017
By the time it’s all said and done, several local prep basketball teams are expected to make the postseason and play several games while there.
But right now, that’d be awfully hard to tell – thanks to some brutally tough non-district schedules.
Some of the local basketball powerhouses have had some trouble in non-district play, struggling against elite competition – some of the best teams in Louisiana.
But there’s reward in the risk, because playing a challenging schedule also earns teams power points, which helps later in the year for postseason seeding.
“It’s taken us a while to get rolling,” Ellender boys’ basketball coach Cornell Scott said. “But I don’t think that anyone has panicked. We know that it’s going to take time and we know that we have what it takes. I think everyone knows that when it’s time, we will have a chance to play with anybody.”
Ellender is one of those teams that have fallen victim to some non-district blues.
The Patriots reached the Class 4A State Championship Game last season and lost a close, heartbreaking game against Washington-Marion in their home city of Lake Charles.
But after a long offseason, the Patriots have struggled to find the same mojo in 2017-18, starting the season with just a 1-7 record.
Scott said part of the team’s woes were schedule-based. Of those seven losses, most came against elite competition.
But the coach said other factors were in play, as well.
“We had almost all our guys in football,” Scott said. “So we haven’t had the time with them, so a lot of our guys are still getting into shape – basketball shape.
Since that 1-7 start, Ellender has shown signs of life.
They posted a 2-0 record at the snow-shortened H.L. Bourgeois Tournament, then won two games against Madison Prep this past weekend, beating McKinley and Walker – both in one-possession games.
“We’ll get there,” Scott said. “And we know that.”
On the girls’ side, Ellender is the defending Class 4A State Champions and they have the lion’s share of their team from last year back, which had some predicting a breeze through the regular season for the Lady Patriots.
That happened early in the season and the Lady Patriots won five-straight games to start the year.
But since that time, Ellender has lost four out of five games, including losses against John Curtis, Warren Easton and Ponchatoula.
Before the season, coach Kenneth Dixon said he knew it wouldn’t be an easy road for Ellender. He said the biggest challenge the team would face would be learning how to shift from the role of hunters to the hunted.
“We are going to get the best game from everyone we face,” Dixon said. “We are going to have to learn how to stay hungry. We are going to have to compete. Because nothing is going to be given to our team. We know that we’re going to have to earn it every step of the way.”
The same can be said for Ellender’s No. 1 district rival, the South Lafourche Lady Tarpons.
Last season, South Lafourche lost just four games all season – even with dominant post player Victorianna Nelson on the shelf with a severe knee injury.
Lady Tarpons coach Rainie Terrebonne said she intentionally created a tough schedule for her team in hopes of having a battle-tested bunch come play off time .
So far, the Lady Tarpons are surviving the schedule, but are enduring some hiccups along the way
South Lafourche was 5-6 after the Barbe Tournament last weekend, then rebounded with three-straight wins at the Walker Tournament this weekend to up their record to 8-6.
“We want to know what we need to fix before the playoffs,” Terrebonne said at TGMC’s Tri-Parish Media Day. “And playing this season will let us know exactly what we need.”
But there are others who are soaring through the non-district slate.
On the boys’ side, H.L. Bourgeois is pacing area teas will several-straight wins, including triumphs over top-flight competition.
The Braves are led by senior guard A.J. Rainey – arguably the best player in the area.
Also shining on the boys’ side are South Lafourche and Thibodaux.
The Tarpons sit at 8-4 at press-time on Monday, including wins over Brusly and triumphs over Berwick and St. Martinville at the Patterson Tournament this past weekend.
Tarpons coach Brian Callais said in a radio interview two weekends ago that the effort of his team is what’s powering their effort.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our kids,” Callais said. “They give us everything they’ve got.”
For Thibodaux, they were the area’s last unbeaten, winning several-straight games to open the year before losing a couple of games this past weekend at New Iberia.
On the girls’ side, South Terrebonne has nine wins and is building on last year’s solid ride.
Also strong is Thibodaux, which lost three-straight games to open the season, but have since won six-straight to get rolling.
Lady Tigers coach Ashley Adams said she’s proud of the hard work her team has put in.
Adams took over the team right before last season and guided the team to the playoffs, then earned the job full-time.
“Our kids have been great,” Adams said. “Last year, it was a little bit hectic at times, but they kept fighting and I think they’re better for it now.”
The Ellender Memorial High School girls’ basketball team won the Class 4A State Championship last season. But the Lady Patriots are among several local powers struggling early in 2017-18.
On contrary, the South Lafourche boys’ basketball team, missed the playoffs last year, but are heavily chasing the top teams in Class 4A at press-time with an 8-4 record.
