MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 6, 1999

EDGARD – Donriel Louis scored 33 points as West St. John advanced to thequarterfinals for the first time in school history with an 81-52 victory over Lake Providence Tuesday night.

The Rams (21-5) played Christian Life in the quarterfinals last night.

Christian Life (35-4), the District 7-2A champion, advanced with a 65-48 victory over Pine Tuesday. Lake Providence finished its season at 16-10.Louis scored 19 of his game-high total in the second half. Jeremy Lumarcontributed 12 points while Elijah Jasmin tossed in 11. Brian Lumar andDwayne Bastain chipped in with eight points apiece.

Michael Gilmore led Lake Providence with 16 points. James Nover added 10points with Terrance Winston chipping in with nine points for the Panthers.

“We were mentally and physically prepared,” Louis said. “We came outfocused, played good defense and hit the boards. With the playoffs weknew we had to step up a level.”Both teams struggled offensively early with Lake Providence taking a 4-2 lead with 4:55 left in the first quarter on a jumper by Nover. Louis tiedthe game with a jumper from the left wing and two possessions later, gave the Rams for good by grabbing a steal and taking it in. The Ramspulled out to a four-point lead on a drive down the lane by Lumar before Vincent Magee sank a 3-pointer to make it 11-10 at the end of the quarter.

West St. John pulled away with a 9-0 run to open the second quarter.Bastain opened the run with a jumper in the paint and Brian Lumar followed with a 3-pointer from the right wing on the next possession. Adrive in by (See WSJ, Page 3C) Louis made it 20-10. Lake Providence got its first points of the quarter ona scoop by Tyson Thompson but the Rams responded with a jumper by Marlon Jackson and two free throws by Jasmin to take a 24-12 lead with 4:46 left.

A 3-pointer from the left wing by Jeremy Lumar increased the lead to 29- 18. Brian Lumar then grabbed a steal and passed downcourt to Louis, whosoared in from the left side for a slam. Thompson scooped in for a layupbefore Brian Lumar answered with a 3-pointer from the left corner to make it 36-22 at halftime.

After Gilmore opened the scoring in the second half by taking a pass from Otis Jones inside, Louis hit a 3-pointer and a jumper from the left side on successive possessions to make it 41-24. A 3-pointer by Jeremy Lumarincreased the lead to 19 with 4:45 left in the third quarter.

Lake Providence rallied to pull to within 50-35 on drives by Nover and Deonte Brown. But the Rams came back to end the quarter on a 9-2 run. Adrive by Jasmin and a put back by Bastain gave the Rams a 59-37 lead at the end of the third quarter.

A jumper by Jackson off a steal and another jumper by Jasmin made it 63- 37 with 6:22 left in the game. A three-point play by Gilmore off a passfrom Magee inside brought the Panthers to within 66-46 with 4:12 remaining.

But that would be as close as they would get as Pendarvis Morris grabbed a steal and passed to Jasmin driving from the left side. Morris then foundBastain on the left baseline on the next possession with Bastain taking it in for the slam.

In the final seconds, Bastain grabbed a rebound and passed to Jasmin, who found Louis for a dunk. Nover answered with a slam on the other end beforeBastain slammed one down at the buzzer.

“I thought that everybody that got in played well,” West St. John AntoineEdwards said.

“We went about nine deep. I try to tell them that this is the playoffs now.You have to go to your bread and butter people.”

Reserve Christian 74, Episcopal-Acadiana 44

CADE – Reserve Christian pulled away in the second half for a 74-44 victory over Episcopal of Acadiana in the Class B regionals Tuesday night.

The Eagles (28-15) advanced to host Bethany Christian in the quarterfinals last night. Bethany Christian (22-12), the District 12-Brunners-up, defeated Pine Prairie, 60-46, in the regionals. Episcopalfinished the season at 13-14.

Reserve Christian trailed, 14-11, after the first quarter but took a 28-21 lead at halftime. The Eagles then pulled away in the third, out-scoringEpiscopal, 18-7, in the quarter quarter to take a 46-28 lead. The Eaglescapped off the game by out-scoring the Falcons 28-16 in the final quarter.

Aaron Vogel led the Eagles with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. LarrySmith contributed 10 points while Eric McClain, Herman Mitchell and Matt McGee had nine points apiece.

Greer Prather led the Falcons with 12 points. Chris Herrington tossed in11 points.

L.B. Landry 56,St. James 55 (OT)

ST. JAMES – Kerry Larrinette buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer to giveLandry a 56-55 overtime victory at St. James Tuesday night in the Class3A regionals.

Landry (22-5) advanced to play Amite in the quarterfinals. St. Jamesconcluded its season at 17-8.

Landry had taken a 14-8 lead at the end of the first quarter but St. Jamescame back to cut the deficit to 21-18 at halftime. Joe Christy hit twofree throws for the Wildcats with .7 seconds remaining in regulation totie the score at 48 and send the game into overtime.

Deshawn Burham led all scorers with 24 points. Christy added 14 pointsfor the Wildcats.

Larrinette led the Buccaneers with 21 points. Ryshean Wilson added 15points.

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher