WSJ falls to Crusaders’ run down the stretch

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 10, 1999

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 10, 1999

EDGARD – Michael Clayton put Christian Life ahead with a fall-a-way 3- pointer and then hit six free throws down the stretch as the Crusaders held off West St. John, 70-67, Friday night in the state quarterfinals.Christian Life (35-4) advanced to the Top 28 Tournament in the Cajun- dome in Lafayette where the fourth-ranked Crusaders lost to Coushatta, 61-51, Monday in the semifinals. Ninth-ranked West St. John completed itsseason at 21-6.

Clayton had 28 of his game-high 35 points in the second half. TerrellBrowden kept the Crusaders in the game in the first half, scoring 12 of his 17 points in the first 16 minutes.

Donriel Louis led the Rams with 15 points. Elijah Jasmin tossed in another14 while Marlon Jackson added 11.

Both teams rallied from nine-point deficits in the first three quarters with Christian Life taking a 47-45 lead into the final eight minutes.

Jeremy Lumar regained the lead for the Rams at 48-47 by grabbing a long rebound and feeding Louis downcourt for a layup with 7:15 left in the contest. West St. John pushed its lead to 52-48 as Rysean Brown andDwayne Bastain scored inside.

Christian Life tied the score at 52 on two free throws by Clayton with 5:24 remaining. A 3-pointer by Louis from the left wing put the Rams backup before Clayton tied the game with a 3 from the right wing with 3:53 left.

After Browden hit the front end of a one-and-one, Louis grabbed a rebound on the other end of the court and hooked it back in, giving the Rams a 57- 56 lead with 2:45 left.

Christian Life worked the ball around on its ensuing possession before getting the ball to Clayton who put up a 3 while falling away from the basket in front of his bench. The shot hit its mark, giving the Crusadersthe lead at 59-57 with 2:25 left on the clock.

An offensive foul was assessed against the Rams on their next possession with Browden hitting both foul shots for the Crusaders. After anotheroffensive foul was called on the Rams, Stefon LeFlors passed across the court to Aaron Altazan. Altazan buried a 3-pointer from the right corner,giving the Crusaders a 64-59 lead with 1:19 left.

Jackson and Jasmin each drove in for layups but Clayton answered each by hitting four straight free throws. After Jasmin scored on another layup,Joseph Fisher missed two free throws to keep the lead at 68-65.

The Rams had a chance to tie the game on their ensuing possession but Brian Lumar’s 3-point attempt from the right corner bounced off the rim.

Clayton grabbed the rebound and was fouled, hitting both free throws with 13 seconds left to give the Crusaders a 5-point lead.

“I knew going in it was going to be a tough one,” West St. John coachAntoine Edwards said. “But I feel proud of these kids. They played theirhearts out. They played well throughout the playoffs. I told them thatsometimes the ball takes different bounces and it didn’t bounce our way down the stretch.”The ball bounced West St. John’s way early as the Rams took an 8-5 leadwith 2:27 left in the first quarter on a dunk by Bastain off a pass by Jeremy Lumar.

After a 20-second timeout by Christian Life, Lumar grabbed a rebound and fed Jackson downcourt for another dunk. Jasmin answered Fisher’s 3-pointer with one of his own from the top of the key. Jamar Bailey followedwith a 3 from the right wing to make it 16-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Brian Lumar built that lead to 19-10 with a put back with 6:56 left in the second quarter. After a timeout by Christian Life, Browden converted athree-point play on a drive inside and followed with another drive two possessions later to bring the Crusaders to within 19-15. West St. Johnextended the lead back to 23-15 on two foul shots by Jeremy Lumar.

A put back by Browden and two free throws and a put back by Clayton pulled the Crusaders to within one with two minutes left in the half.

Jackson scored inside off a pass from Jasmin to extend the lead back to 28-22 before Christian Life pulled to within 28-25 at the half.

Clayton tied the game at 28 with a 3-pointer from the right corner on the Crusa-ders’ first possession of the second half. After Jasmin put theRams back ahead with a jumper, the Crusaders rolled off an 8-0 run.

Three-pointers by Clayton on successive possessions gave the Crusaders a 36-30 lead with 4:49 left in the third quarter.

Christian Life built the lead to 42-34 with 2:59 left as Fisher fed LeFlors underneath. After a jumper by Bailey, Clayton made the first of two freethrows. Clayton missed the second but Browden was there for the put backto make it 45-36.

Louis started a 9-0 run for the Rams with a jumper and a tip-in. After a10-second call on the Crusaders, Jasmin buried a 3-pointer from the left wing.

The Crusaders were called for traveling on the ensuing possession with the Rams tying the score at 45 on a drive by Louis. LeFlors hooked in ashot on Christian Life’s next trip down the court, giving the Crusaders a 47-45 lead heading into the final quarter.

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